shootist2600 Blog

The Last of Us and Devotion to Craft

Kyle Wadsworth — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 05:40:00 GMT

I do not get emotional over video games. That is not a boast; I don't take pride in it. It's just a fact. So imagine my surprise when Naughty Dog's The Last of Us upset me to the verge of tears. No, not due to its ending. I speak of the game's first few minutes, which far surpasses the endings of many other games. How is that possible?

Naughty Dog had earned a reputation for quality games long before its work on the Uncharted series that has helped define this generation of console gaming. With the popular Crash Bandicoot and Jak and Daxter series of video games, the studio carved a niche as a reliable developer of top-tier platformers that set the stage for its work on Uncharted.

Those earlier games demonstrated the technical prowess necessary to pull off gameplay that not only rewarded quick reflexes and precise timing but did so in the context of consistently fun and entertaining environments. That foundation, in turn, provided a sound basis for their more mature platformer/action-adventure series on Playstation 3.

The Uncharted series is renowned for its superior action gameplay (whether its platforming elements or shoot-from-cover gunplay), its high quality production values and its impressive set-piece scripted moments. However, what truly sets the series apart is its realistic characters, authentic dialog and endearing relationships.

In Nathan Drake, the developer has fashioned an everyman who is brash and determined but also conflicted and vulnerable. He is a selfish treasure hunter who can't ignore his conscience. And while he's fallible, Nathan is also loyal. His old friend Victor Sullivan is a mainstay, despite their bickering and "Sully's" own foibles.

And then there are sometime colleagues and love interests Chloe Frazer and Elena Fisher. Nathan's relationship with them is what helps make him the most relatable, partially in reaction to their strong personalities and earnest behavior, but also because he lets his guard down in their presence, revealing more layers of his own character.

It's these interludes among Uncharted's characters that provide the bedrock foundation upon which the action is built, not only complementing it but holding it aloft as a touchstone for the genre and the medium at large. This dedication to a quality experience is not simply a top-down corporate mandate, either, though Naughty Dog can be lauded for having hired skilled designers.

Indeed, the rank and file game developers themselves have demonstrated a commitment to entertaining but authentic storytelling that began before The Last of Us started production. At the game's midnight release, the development team revealed that some members had worked on Ninja Theory's Enslaved: Odyssey to the West.

Furthermore, one of the designers on The Last of Us -- Mark Richard Davies -- had been Enslaved's lead designer. These revelations, which were news to me, came when I asked if the latter had been an inspiration (to which they all laughed knowingly, and deferred to Mark, who was in attendance). I imagine I'm not alone in observing the similarities.

Enslaved has its own legion of fans due to its all-around quality presentation, whether solid platforming mechanics, entertaining melee and shooting gameplay, visionary post-apocalyptic art design (of overgrown ruin) or quality production values. But, like the Uncharted series, what most impressed was its intriguing characters and their authentic relationship.

Monkey, a tough lone male trader, and Trip, a tech-savvy female character, escape a slave ship in a dystopian future, only to have Trip enslave Monkey to assist in her journey. How they react to each other initially and how their relationship evolves over time represents one of the most genuine and appealing interactions in gaming, even when nothing is said.

What could have been a generic action-adventure game with two-dimensional characters instead becomes an emotional journey where each individual not only grows independently but develops in the context of their relationship with each other. (See my impressions of Enslaved: Odyssey to the West here.)

It's fascinating to watch their trepidation, fear and mutual distrust slowly erode as they confront their demons and insecurities, and how that process affects their interaction over time along their journey to their final destination. But as with all great stories, it's not the end that matters most, it's what happens in between that's important.

All these gaming antecedents provide fertile ground for creating The Last of Us, and help explain how the game can start from such a strong position, especially relative to most other titles in the medium. From here on out, I'll explore how Naughty Dog's newest release takes advantage of its pedigree, though without overt spoilers of such a remarkable experience to this point.

Part of the noteworthy achievement of the game's opening sequence is how it impacts the player with so little exposition to begin with. This is testament, again, to the designers' inestimable skill at capturing the essence of characters in the most minute detail, whether a word, expression or gesture, a skill on display throughout at least the first few hours.

The artistry with how the beginning unfolds in terms of characterization, exposition and dramatic pacing, and how they move in tandem toward their climax, is so exceptional as to take one's breath away. The point being, without revealing any one aspect, is that the drama is so well executed so as to seem like a revelation.

Thereafter, in moments large and small, the same attention to detail can be found in a character's tone of voice, facial expression or body language, to say nothing of the high quality dialog that likewise speaks to the authenticity with which the development team at Naughty Dog is able to imbue every situation.

Survivors of the epidemic that has ravaged society are wary of each other, authority figures and each and every situation they find themselves in. They're jumpy, desperate and exhausted, and it shows in the inflection when they speak, in their posture and in how their countenance can change from forlorn to angry and back again.

It is for this reason that spare moments of tenderness are all the more poignant, whether a conciliatory word, a helpful hand or a protective act. People in such a dire circumstance are not only desperate to survive but, more importantly, you sense they are desperate for the comfort of human companionship, a commodity that we are reminded is in short supply.

The dynamic between Joel and Tess demonstrates all these elements and then some. There is tension and there is compassion and sometimes they are inseparable. Their complicated interaction, however, is not the only complex relationship they have. Others come into and out of their lives with varying hints of past involvement large and small.

To its credit, The Last of Us does not dwell on exposition even as the story unfolds. Gamers are treated to tidbits of information here and there in much the same way that we are privvy to such detail in our daily lives. No more context or less is given than is necessary to experience Joel's journey through his world.

And oftentimes, that means having only expressions or gestures to know what others are feeling or thinking. There's one moment in particular when Joel says something to disappoint and irritate Ellie, and the look she gives him as she passes says all that and more. It is meant to express her profound emotion and to shame at the same time and it does both exceedingly well.

But for veterans of Uncharted and, especially, Enslaved, this is not a new frontier. In the latter title, Monkey and Trip often communicated in such shorthand and the game was richer for it. Trip's face, in particular, was so expressive that she wore her emotions on her sleeve and it encouraged the emotional investment of gamers in ways few words ever could.

Indeed, Ellie's early behavior suggests she might be an open book in much the same way Trip was, whereas Joel shares Monkey's mostly forced stoicism, and the dichotomy between both approaches is what fuels the compelling dynamic at the heart of each respective story. How the characters move beyond their stances provides the dramatic arc.

Although not survival horror, the daily desperate measures taken by survivors are what dictate the gameplay in The Last of Us. Whether pursuing objectives of their own design or the creation of others, salvaging items or food from the ruins of civilization, or just trying to traverse the post apocalyptic world in one piece, gameplay complements the story well.

Once again the quality execution of this aspect of the game owes its success to the combined experience of the development team. Movement, for instance, incorporates some platforming elements, whether crouching through narrow passages, hurdling obstacles in one's path, shimmying along ledges or climbing to higher ground.

In some cases, such navigation requires a little puzzle solving, as you can imagine it would in real life. Sometimes you'll need to find wood planks to traverse gaps or move objects to provide a kind of step stool. Even as simplistic puzzles, encouraging such ingenuity adds another layer of authenticity.

Some games vary movement between running or walking and sometimes crouching, but there is no interim speed to bridge the different controls. In The Last of Us, the speed of your movement appears to depend on how much pressure is exerted on the thumb stick, so there is a natural progression from slow to fast and vice versa.

This also applies to taking cover, where Joel will move along walls, using his hands to help guide him. In my experience, pressing the thumb stick forward into a wall will trigger such movement, whereas the opposite direction will slowly draw him away from the wall. There are no button presses to adhere to cover, though the crouch button is necessary to duck behind low-lying objects.

Likewise there are options for how to approach confrontation, though the game clearly emphasizes stealth over combat which, again, is a practical consideration given the infected foes you face. To that end, one can sneak when crouched and stealth kill opponents by strangling or stabbing with a shiv (one of the only ways to kill some enemies).

The stealth mechanic does work well and is familiar for anyone who plays games that implement it. Similarly, you can use items like bottles or bricks to distract enemies and create a path. In addition, Joel has developed extremely sensitive hearing that, when implemented, can virtually see enemies through walls and objects when in range.

Though firearms are available, ammo is in limited supply, so exploring alternate approaches to any given situation is encouraged. And in fact, you might find yourself with the opportunity to replay certain scenarios through trial and error experimentation; where I last stopped I can consistently stealth kill two infecteds, but the rest gang up on me every time.

At that point I resort to using the pipe I found nearby (which replaced the wooden board I had). It's effective one on one, however, given the number of blows necessary to fell an enemy, it is a poor choice for crowd control as I learned over and over. Therefore, I'm beginning to wonder if I should resort to using my firearm instead, and whether I've been too stingy with my ammo.

As it turns out, targeting is fairly intuitive though takes some practice especially when under attack, which is why it also can be upgraded along with other skills, abilities or conditions. I opted to first boost my health, though in retrospect augmenting my aim might have been a more practical consideration given how limited ammo is and how challenging some encounters can be.

In the meantime, I should point out that certain other RPG elements can prove beneficial to the journey. For instance, there is a crafting feature that allows you to combine items in your inventory to create other items such as med kits or shivs (which are useful for stealth kills against certain infecteds, though in the above scenario I can't get near enough to use it).

The problem is that many items are in short supply so dedicated exploration is necessary to salvage as much material and ammo as possible. As in other games, recurring glint off items will alert you to their presence, however, they're not so obvious that you can only do a cursory inspection. Indeed, searching in dark areas also can yield items but only if you're actively looking.

Among items you can salvage are artifacts or collectibles. The former in general will provide information that can aid or simply provide context to what's happened in a given location. You might find a map, list, document or letter, for instance. The latter include pendants that resemble kinds of dog tags; for completionists or just treasure hunters, they are extra incentive to explore.

If you're like me, you won't need extra incentive as the environments are so detailed and inspired that they are reward in and of themselves for venturing off the beaten path. In fact, the first similarity with Enslaved that I noticed was the overgrown ruins that provide a stark contrast to the otherwise barren wastes of most post-apocalyptic video games.

The vision is similar to the cinematic worlds of Logan's Run or I Am Legend and like those predecessors is suggestive of nature taking back the planet after it was laid waste. Even where foliage has not yet encroached, the abandoned, unkempt edifices and interiors bespeak the lonely existence of the unfortunate few relegated now to a hardscrabble life.

With detailed textures, a colorful though fading palette, realistic lighting and grim foresight, game designers have recreated commonplace settings in a haunting alternate reality of post epidemic America. There are few scenes more disturbing than to see locations we would otherwise associate with life now run down and collapsing from vacancy and disrepair.

Yet there is artistry is such harrowing portrayals, and a beauty that belies the reality depicted. From Spartan residence to inert warehouse, a harbor frozen in time to an office devoid of work, fallen highways to high rises laid low, here is an end and possible beginning, a world in transition, an artist's devotion to craft.

I have a long journey still ahead, and no path is guaranteed. I don't even know whether what follows can match what came before. But what is certain is that the beginning of The Last of Us is an exemplary evocation of what this medium is capable of, and an example of what a studio and its designers can accomplish when they've made careers of pursuing excellence.

Above: The Last of Us development team at a midnight release signing with yours truly (standing, second from right, is designer Mark Richard Davies, lead designer on Enslaved: Odyssey to the West).

Above: The Last of Us Survival Edition

My E3: TAKEDOWN, Saints Row IV, The Elder Scrolls Online & More

Kyle Wadsworth — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 02:47:00 GMT

My third day at E3 was my most anticipated by virtue of hands-on time with two of my favorite franchises. But I also was treated to demos of other titles that frankly have piqued my interest.

First up was TAKEDOWN: Red Sabre, a first-person tactical shooter from Serellan, which includes veterans of the Ghost Recon, Halo, SOCOM, SWAT and F.E.A.R. franchises. Creative Director Christian Allen, who held the same post with the Ghost Recon series and was lead designer on Halo: Reach, filled me in while his team demoed the co-op gameplay.

TAKEDOWN is made to provide a more deliberate, realistic experience than today's run-and-gun, garden variety shooter. The "round-based, no respawn" gameplay is intended to be extremely challenging, demanding that gamers stick together and cover each other's six.

One year has been spent in development to ensure the game's realistic portrayal, including factoring in bullet penetration values, item thicknesses and lengths of weapons. This determines how far bullets travel into or through objects and weapon position beside objects or walls (if too close, you'll move your weapon accordingly).

This devotion to detail extends to the game's environments from a cargo ship to an arctic radar station. The radar station, for instance, features color-coded buildings for easier identification in low visibility situations. Serellan's intent was to build structures realistically, from everyday life, before adding gameplay scenarios.

Part of the impact is a more modern, clean look than found in shooters that equate realistic with gritty. Map design itself is nonlinear. In fact, I can attest to the modern, clean look, which reminded me of SWAT: Global Strike Team, and the multipath configuration familiar to fans of the Rainbow Six series.

In terms of gameplay, there are single-player, six-player co-op or 12-player adversarial multiplayer options. Six core scenarios are based on PMCs (professional military corporations) and include objectives like tango hunt and bomb disarm. Multiple scenarios are available per map.

The bullet penetration system means that armor and weapon choice becomes more important. Likewise, it impacts one's health instead of a hit point system common to other titles. It will likely take one to three shots to kill you in TAKEDOWN, which will lead to a more quick demise than in other games.

Although rounds can end relatively quickly, the maps are designed for replayability. They are nonlinear, there are multiple insertion points and enemies spawn in random locations. This all adds to the game's challenge, and allure.

In practice, targeting appeared precise, scopes are well implemented, the peek or lean feature was well executed, and movement was fluid. Much of the combat occurred at a distance, but I could tell that enemy AI took advantage of cover as opposed to standing in the open. Gameplay did remind me of both SOCOM and Rainbow Six.

There were no presentation issues that I could see, and production values appeared solid at this stage. TAKEDOWN runs on Unreal Engine 3 and is targeting a Fall release with the PC as lead platform and a 360 version available for digital distribution on XBL. From what I've seen and heard, TAKEDOWN is well on its way to providing a much needed alternative to the standard arcade shooters that dominate the genre.

Also available in the Fall is EKO Software's How to Survive, an isometric zombie-killing simulator that is part Dead Nation and (a large) part Dead Island. This third-person survival game with a top-down perspective offers two-player co-op in story mode or challenge mode (with no checkpoint saves).

You play as one of three characters: Jack (melee-oriented), Abby (range focused) or Kenji (a balance of melee and range). The objective is escaping a zombie-infested jungle island in an archipelago off Colombia. Combat, loot grinding and crafting represent key gameplay elements during the journey.

Your character starts with nothing but has to acquire items to maintain health, hunger and thirst meters. Vegetation and items can be found throughout the environment and can be used for this purpose or to craft into other items or weapons. For instance, a flexible branch and reel of string can be combined for a bow or fishing rod, and flint can help fashion an axe.

Speaking of, you can also hunt for food with weapons such as a bow and arrow. Arrows also can be created through combination such as feathered arrows for improved accuracy. Their use involves a learning curve as targeting involved holding and releasing a thumbstick, if I recall, which proved a challenge on moving targets.

Besides range attacks, combat will involve melee attacks. These can be charged up for stronger swings. Sometimes, fleeing is a more practical option; sprinting is helpful though limited, and it depletes one's stamina besides being weaker when tired. Light proves helpful at warding off foes called creepers, whether a flashlight or torch, though the latter burns out.

Like the flashlight, weapons don't degrade, however, they need to be upgraded to progress. And weapons can be reinforced. As in Two Worlds 2, items or weapons can be disassembled into their component parts to make others. Other RPG elements include a skill tree. Experience points can be earned for killing zombies or wildlife and finding some items.

In my limited playtime, melee combat was more intuitive than ranged, though arrows are more effective against some foes like the explosive kind (think Left4Dead or Dead Island). Movement is smooth and animations fluid, loot grinding and crafting are simple and intuitive (especially as crafting shows you combination possibilities), and foes are various and numerous.

Enemy AI is pretty straightforward as most will rush you, though as stated creepers will shy away from light in the evening. I enjoyed what I did play, though had a few issues that hopefully will be addressed such as non-breakaway roofs when inside structures (which lead to a cheap death when surprised by numerous enemies).

Also, the map is only available in a separate screen, not on the HUD; hopefully that will change to help improve navigation. In general, this game incorporates many elements from my favorite zombie games and seemingly without some of their problems. I look forward to its Fall release on Steam, XBL, PSN and WiiU.

I was fortunate enough to have a 30 to 45 minute hands-on demo of Saints Row IV, and Volition's latest entry in the franchise doesn't disappoint. Not only does the same core gameplay from previous titles carry over, but the addition of superpowers reminded this gamer of Crackdown's exceptional gameplay.

To begin, the same impressive character creation tool is available, though I eschewed that feature to leap straight into the action. The demo begins with you playing as the President and includes the alien attack. If I recall, the game is an alien simulation and the objective is to get yourself and your homies out of it.

This is all typical over-the-top presentation that the series is known for. It's played for laughs and the sheer ridiculous entertainment of it all and it succeeds on both counts. And while previous entries have done this admirably, Saints Row IV gameplay takes it to a new level and makes one wonder why it wasn't done sooner.

The White House section involves standard gunplay and movement, targeting, firing, etc. all work well. There is also a stationary gun segment that plays out as an entertaining homage to Space Invaders, the type of tribute that the developers are known for.

Once out on the street, the gameplay opens up considerably. With superpowers implemented, I admit to having spent most time sprinting through people, objects and vehicles, all of which are sent flying through the air.

It was during this exhibition that I was impressed with the level of destructibility Volition has brought to this sequel. With the exception of buildings, I knocked down lampposts, mailboxes, streetlights, fences and anything else without a solid foundation.

You can also run up the sides of buildings a la the title character in The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, leap great distances with charged up superjumps as in Crackdown and glide to earth as in some other superhero games.

As if that wasn't enough, weapon variety returns as a source of endless entertainment; though truth be told I relied almost exclusively on my black hole gun, firing holes at vehicles, people, objects, etc. like the infamous weapon (you obtain too late) in The Darkness.

Typical sequences for me involved tossing cars and trucks left and right as I sprinted down city streets before seamlessly running up the side of a tall building, leaping far off its roof, gliding to nearby rooftops for collectibles than landing in the street with black hole gun at the ready to suck up foes gunning for me and all vehicles and objects nearby.

At some points I was assaulted by alien gunships and did manage to superjump onto one but couldn't commandeer it, whether due to my own inexperience or to an inability to do so I'm not sure. During all this, there were no discernible framerate issues or other problems with the presentation.

Much like my experience with Saints Row: The Third, I spent little time on story missions and most time causing mayhem, racing, finding hidden items and pursuing side quests. The addition of superpowers only added to the overall entertainment value and by the time we were asked to stop I could not believe it had been at least 30 minutes.

I had an opportunity to speak with Robert Gable afterward, assistant project manager at Deep Silver Volition, and he filled me in on some of the game's background and features. The developers at Volition are huge gamers themselves and have been inspired by titles such as Prototype, Infamous and Crackdown.

Such influence is readily apparent in the game's superpowers, which are mapped to the left and right bumpers. The left bumper can access navigation powers such as sprint, glide and wall running, while the right bumper provides offensive powers like stomp (to shatter), freeze blast, telekinesis and fire. The four offensive powers can be mapped to the direction pad for quick swapping.

Superpowers in Saints Row IV have their own upgrade section (just as Saints Row: The Third-style player upgrades).Upgrades can be accumulated via data clusters on the tops of buildings, similar to the collectible orbs in Crackdown, and can unlock elements for each superpower (sidequests offer an alternate means of unlocking elements).

Weapons variety is another key area, and they can be bought from weapon stores or unlocked through gameplay. In fact, both weapons and their customizations can be unlocked through challenges or activities. The game offers tangible rewards for many activities that we might otherwise take for granted.

Guns include the black hole, dubstep and inflatoray, and all can be changed through visual customization such as costume changes that affect their look or skin changes that impact their color. An RPG, for instance, can be altered to appear like a guitar. The game has more than 200 weapon customizations.

As far as the game world, it's similar in size to Saints Row: The Third, but it is more dense in terms of the gameplay options available. The general objectives are similar, such as taking over territory through combat (like taking out alien hots spots, or shields) or buying property, which will change the landscape from Zin (alien) red to Saints purple.

Most missions are focused on Zin, and there are optional missions based on freeing your homies. Past characters in the series will make cameos, as at least some will come back in antagonistic ways (after the aliens bring them to life). When asked whether you'll ally with former foes, Robert said, "You'll have to find out."

In terms of vehicles, saved ones can be dropped practically anywhere in-game when you call for it. This includes all ground vehicles, and maybe air as well. The goal is to get gamers to the fun quicker, and to this end you can save alien vehicles as well.

A few final notes: Gamers can carry over their Saints Row: The Third character (If they first upload it to the community website, I believe). When asked about story duration, I was told that usability tests required four eight-hour days (so about 32 hours?). Saints Row IV will release August 20 in North America and August 23 in the rest of the world on PC, PS3 and 360.

Nival's Prime World is a multiplayer online battle arena game that is designed to find a balance between games that offer fast progression and slow progression. Sixty heroes can be leveled up individually and have different talents and passive and active abilities (currently there are over 700, with more to come).

There are eight gameplay modes including PvP, SP and co-op. The game also allows players to start and manage guilds and build towns or castles and provides persistent hero development. It is currently in a closed beta but will be offering an open beta.

I had an opportunity to sample its gameplay, which was a challenge for this non-computer gamer. WASD controls weren't too difficult, though coordinating between those and the mouse to fight multiple foes sometimes was a comedy of errors. Needless to say, I died often, though through no fault of the game that I could tell.

In fact, movement and attacks seemed well implemented and precise despite by every effort to prove otherwise. And when playing properly, meaning with my teammates, battles were much more successful than when taken on solo by an inexperienced PC gamer.

Attacks appeared strong, especially powers/spells, though my inexperience only made my tendency to spam buttons under duress more pronounced. I do believe that powers/spells had a cool down period as I couldn't spam them.

As far as objectives, I believe we were protecting structures from a variety of beasts and shaman-type characters. It played out much like control points, with flags raised or lowered depending on who was controlling it at the time. Thankfully, I could respawn at nearby spawn points, and navigate easily by clicking points on the HUD map.

It was a fun experience despite my lack of familiarity with the controls, and the production values are very good whether animations, textures, color palette, frame rate, particle effects, etc. For veterans of the genre, it might be a game to follow.

At the Bethesda booth, I was able to catch a developer demo for The Evil Within. The game is their attempt to bring horror back to its roots, offering a pure survival horror experience with "no boring QTEs." Sneaking is the optimum means of getting around, as there are limited resources and ammo.

The demo took place at the beginning of the game. Players assume the role of a detective visiting an asylum. Memorable moments involve waking after being captured and finding yourself hanging upside down among other victims, one of whom is being butchered out of sight; all you hear are effectively gruesome noises that clearly suggest he is being eviscerated.

Indeed, you soon see a large figure that more resembles a dungeon master than an asylum orderly dragging the victim's bloody torso across the floor into another room. At that moment, you make your escape, with the homicidal figure in hot pursuit. It's a tense, disturbing sequence that promises a nail-biting game.

Last but not least, I was able to squeeze into the busy schedule for some hands-on time with Bethesda's The Elder Scrolls Online. Yes, I realize it's another PC title, but I'm a fan of the franchise and looking forward to the recently announced console versions.

The developer first gave a brief introduction and showed a video of content that attendees would not see in the hands on demo. Like developer videos already released, it shows areas and characters that fit comfortably into the Elder Scrolls universe.

The hands-on demo began with character customization which, like Saints Row IV before, I opted to keep to a minimum in order to jump into the action. However, the only jumping I did was via the back button out of the demo as I struggled with unfamiliar keyboard controls. If not for the kindness of TES Online Creative Director Paul Sage I would never have escaped the character creation page

After mapping some powers/spells to number keys with the assistance of other Bethesda handlers, and acquainting myself in-game with basic keyboard and mouse controls, I followed the map to a point of interest.

There, amidst some ruins, I encountered a group of bandit squatters. With a mixture of strikes, blocks and spells, I was able to dispatch the first two or three, but once I came upon mages, too, I was done for.

Thankfully, I had the option of respawning at a waypoint or reviving on the spot. The revive proved helpful as there was a time during which I was mobile but invisible, which I took advantage of to move out of danger. The problem for me was that I could never move completely out of harms way so ended up dying often whether due to my PC gaming inexperience or poor judgement or both.

Here again, however, as in the Prime World demo, the game plays much better when cooperating with other gamers. The two or three times I found others in the game world and we combined our resources I was able to survive for the most part. So I didn't help my own cause by venturing off often without backup, as I was most interested in exploring the massive world.

To that end, I discovered other ruins, marshes and towns, besides the rolling hills outside the area we began in. All were vintage Elder Scrolls: varied, detailed and well conceived, exhibiting creative art design. Enemies, too, were varied and also included automated sentinels, gargoyle like creatures, alligators and werewolves. I avoided most.

The enemy AI was similar to other Elder Scrolls games, meaning foes moved usually in a limited range once engaged, whether back and forth or sideways, which provided enough of a challenge especially when in numbers. They also defended themselves well, whether mages with spells, alligators with tails, etc.

As far as NPCs, there were some on roads but most were in populated areas, again as can be expected in this franchise. Many had tales to tell and sidequests to pursue. I undertook two or three, though didn't follow through on any to their conclusion as, again, I was more interested in exploring the world laid out before me.

Of course the hands-on demo was only a small portion of the reportedly huge world, but it offered enough gameplay to whet my appetite for more. If I recall, we began the demo at level 5, so I can only imagine how competitive a higher level character would be against the vast majority of foes populating the game world.

As it was, even on keyboard, the melee combat was familiar and spells provided a good alternative. With more practice, especially on more familiar platforms for this gamer, I imagine gameplay would gel pretty quickly. After all, the opportunity to play an Elder Scrolls game in co-op is too good to pass up.

Indeed, despite my inexperience with keyboard and mouse controls, in many ways as described it had many of the familiar Elder Scrolls elements and still played out like any other game in the series. I'm grateful for the opportunity I had to play it, for the gracious assistance of Creative Director Paul Sage (above, left) and other Bethesda staff, and I look forward to its release.

My E3: Sherlock Holmes, Castlevania, Witcher, Thief & More

Kyle Wadsworth — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 05:25:00 GMT

My second day at E3 was filled with appointments, though I at least made time to eat (an entire apple and granola bar, no less). I saw a nice variety of games and, as always, am encouraged by the creativity of developers in this medium.

Spider Studio's Bound by Flame is a story driven action RPG. The dark fantasy game begins with a character creation tool followed by a tutorial. One of the first things I noticed was the significant draw distance. You can freely roam this world, and each chapter is very different, encouraging exploration. Enemies, too, are linked to each environment.

Combat with enemies consists of landing blows, parrying and dodging. Fire magic can be used as well, and the ability to dual wield weapons is an option that, as can be expected, is faster but physically weaker than using one larger weapon. Besides regular foes, there are boss battles.

Most of the demo involved travel and combat. Animations are fluid, and attacks -- whether melee or fire -- appear effective and interchangeable. Particle effects are decent, and environments are well designed. (Regrettably, the sound was not working for our demo so can't be assessed.)

Dialog also is dynamic, with your choices leading to different sidequests or story paths, and potentially altering your reputation with factions.

You can recruit five companions such as a magician or archer. However, when you become host for a fire demon, some factions will refuse to ally with your demon personae; if you elect to not follow the demon path, you'll need more allies. Each path is an important side to the story.

The game has a crafting system for improving armor and/or weapons, and skill trees. Each skill tree has 12 skills, which can be improved three times each.

The main quest is about 25 hours long, and sidequests will add to its duration. The game will release in early 2014, and is being developed on PC, PS3 and 360 at the same time.

Crimes and Punishments: Sherlock Holmes, the seventh game in Frogwares' series, is designed to be more challenging and sophisticated and features eight different cases such as murder, disappearance and theft. In a first for the series, the game uses Unreal Engine 3, allowing detailed, colorful environments that contribute to atmosphere and investigations.

The developer's goal was to put gamers in the shoes of the famous detective, who was renown for his skill with deduction and careful observation. To facilitate this, gameplay can switch between third and first person perspectives. The demo was actually based on a story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

During investigations, gamers can examine crime scene details in an interactive environment. Weapons and clues can be picked up and viewed in 3D (think Uncharted or Elder Scrolls). Items such as notebooks or chests can be opened and their contents explored (unlocking chests can involve a puzzle). The extent of interactivity was impressive.

Holmes has special abilities. One is vision, which allows him to see things others don't, such as how a clean area on an otherwise dusty shelf likely held a box. The game also allows one to conduct autopsies and interrogate suspects.

A second ability in regard to the latter is careful observation of characters or suspects (which stops time). You can examine them for helpful details. Also, you can choose topics or clues to interrupt suspects with. Finally, a deduction board represents the completion of investigative work.

The level of detail achieved and interaction possible in both the crime scene and the interrogation was promising and should allow amateur sleuths a field day. Whether this allows for a more intuitive and ultimately satisfying process than, say, LA Noire's somewhat controversial approach (a concern raised by one attendee) remains to be seen.

Indeed, gamers will have to interpret clues, which can lead to different possible deductions. In fact, each case has three to five possible conclusions. The case demoed had four, for instance. Investigations appear to represent the majority of gameplay; there will be no combat. Also, we were assured that Watson will appear.

The game is set to release for PC, PS3 and 360.

MercurySteam puts players in the role of Dracula in Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 (PC, PS3, 360). The 20-minute demo on display consists of the game's tutorial and as such provides a helpful overview of its gameplay. Most involves combat, though the demo also provides a good introduction to platforming.

In general, controls proved responsive, though for someone like me the various button uses and combos involved a learning curve. But the tutorial does a good job of acquainting gamers with the basic game mechanics (in this case for 360).

Specifically, you can use direct attack (X), area attack (Y), grip/interact (B), jump (A), chaos claws (RB to activate/deactivate) for breaking shields, void sword (LB) to consume life, block (LT), move (left thumb stick, +LT to dodge) and free camera (right thumb stick).

In practice, the controls work well enough, though platforming can seem overly precise when moving in different directions under attack. Also there are quick time events involved at least in feeding and leaping/grasping. Thankfully, checkpoints are reasonably spaced.

I used dodge a lot to avoid regular and shielded foes as well as boss type enemies. All had regular and special attacks that typically are telegraphed when charging. The variety and number could test one's mettle.

Finally, production values are excellent, whether particle effects, detailed textures, fluid animation or quality cinematics. The demo was solid, fun entertainment, though with the possible exception of chaos claws and void sword, it did not reveal much that was new compared with the game's predecessor (at least that I can recall), though you could do worse than compare with that entertaining title.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (PC, Xbox One, PS4) demo was an exceptional display of CD Projekt RED's ability to produce high-quality games that are both epic and intimate at the same time. The 45 minute gameplay demo occurs around the middle of the game.

The Witcher stories are connected, but Wild Hunt is starting a new world, so a knowledge of the previous titles is not necessary. Gamers again play as Geralt of Rivia, a mutated monster hunter. This time, instead of only the Empire of Nilfgaard to contend with, Wild Hunt spectral warriors are a problem.

In the demo, Geralt is on the trail of the Wild Hunt. It begins with a cinematic that, frankly, is among the best I've seen in terms of detail and animation, which helps convey the drama depicted. Highlights include horseback riding through the wilds, reminiscent of Red Dead Redemption; compelling personal interactions; and fluid combat with people and beasts large and small.

Storyline is the most important element for the developer, but the fully open world and presentation take a backseat to no one. The world is much larger than in The Witcher 2, is not interrupted by loading screens and includes living communities of NPCs with their own agendas and lives.

Use of DirectX 11 allows a visually stunning world. In fact, production values showcase impressive detail, realistic lighting and great draw distance. Art design is well conceived, with structures displaying Celtic influences as well as taking inspiration from medieval Amsterdam.

The in-game economy is region specific, with cheap fish on the coast and more expensive fish inland, for example. Gamers can take advantage of that to make more money. New transport include horses and sailboats, while climbing and swimming are options on foot. Like Skyrim, you can travel to every place you can see. Fast travel also is available.

Sidequests add to the journey; ruins often have items, dungeons and new adventures; and a crafting system exists. In terms of combat, the game is designed to combine classical RPG action with the speed and precision of tactical action games. Besides superior sword fighting, simple spells, called "signs," can be used, and potions can be consumed.

Compared with its predecessor, Wild Hunt's camera is more intimate, animations have changed and combat controls differently. Combat involves attack, dodge and parry moves, and encourages gamers to pay more attention to enemies.

Combat showcased in the demo appeared streamlined at least compared with the game's predecessor. Moves were quick, attacks interchangeable between melee and fire, and animations were smooth. No clumsy menus that I endured previously, though perhaps they were less necessary later in that game.

This sequel features more than 100 hours of playtime (about 50 hours of core missions and 50 involving sidequests). A dynamic day/night cycle and weather system vary the landscape and action, for instance, as enemies like werewolves are more powerful at night (your journal even includes a bestiary with helpful details about beasts).

Behaviour Interactive showcased a playable demo of Phineas and Ferb: Quest for Cool Stuff. Based on the children's animated TV series, this platformer allows for playing as the title characters inside their ATT (All Terrain Transformatron vehicle) or as Perry the platypus/Agent P.

Inside the ATT, Phineas controls a drill for breaking blocks and Ferb pinchers for scaling walls. Both also can be used for attacking foes. Agent P is superathletic and uses platforms or his agility to leap, and his martial arts training for a kick attack.

Phineas and Ferb explore four worlds for a variety of treasure -- an ancient temple, outer space, deep sea Atlantis and a backyard -- while Agent P navigates Dr. Doofenschmirtz's labs in an effort to stop his nefarious plans. Besides treasure, silver sprockets can upgrade the ATT's drills (for different blocks) or colors.

During my gameplay I explored the temple and labs. In both cases, platforming, tool use and combat (spinning drill, pincher whirl and Agent P's kick) are all fluid thanks to familiar, intuitive controls. In fact, it played much like other platformers.

In truth, what will set this apart is its source material. Besides playable characters, you can interact with others in the backyard. The game is also colorful, with sharp graphics. It is set for release on August 13 for Nintendo platforms as well as the 360.

Developer and hands-on demos of Thief (PC, Xbox One, PS4) were available from Eidos Montreal. The game is considered a reinvention, not a reboot, and through master thief Garrett it explores the essence of being a thief. The demo takes place hours into the game and involves infiltrating a manor for a rare treasure.

The game is designed so any level can be approached multiple ways, though at its core it's still a stealth title. Reinforcing this are visual effects around the screen and a light/shadow sphere on the HUD that darkens the more you are hidden. It also helps to be aware of the different sounds that various surfaces make.

Assisting would-be thieves is a focus ability, or raised intuition, that helps detect objects of interest, loot and even traps (this feature can be turned off for hard-core enthusiasts). It does drain, but pickups can restore it. A pickpocket ability can likewise line one's own pockets.

The demos reinforce how exploration is encouraged. A variety of items can be found throughout each area, and interactive objects present their own opportunities for expanding one's search. For instance, turning off a fountain might reveal a previously hidden area.

Various gameplay options help ensure one's success, whether a swoop ability that allows thieves to quickly move between shadows, a rope arrow to reach higher areas, fire arrows that can ignite pools of oil as a distraction or weapon, or water arrows that can extinguish torches, to name only a few.

When exploring a cellar area, the developer used focus and swoop a lot. I was less deft at this application, failing to realize I needed to be moving to use it (one can swoop forward or backward). Thankfully I was able to hold my own during melee combat when detected, but took a beating. Health, like focus, does require pickups to restore.

Thief is enhanced with a quality production that includes detailed textures and quality lighting, features integral to a successful stealth game. It looks set to continue the success of titles like Thief: Deadly Shadows, which in my experience does share several traits.

In between appointments I checked out the cinemizer OLED multimedia glasses by Carl Zeiss. It reminded me of virtual reality headgear I tried out outside an arcade in the Las Vegas MGM Grand Hotel 15 years ago. In practice, however, the glasses upended my expectations.

First off, their compact size left me skeptical of use with eyeglasses; however, the focus of each eyepiece could be adjusted much as one might fine-tune binoculars. I was impressed how each could be focused independently to allow a clear image sans eyeglasses.

I used them to play a console version of the video game Avatar and was pleased with the quality of the 3D presentation. The depth of field is quickly discernable and does help immerse one in the game as advertised. That said, my expectation of a virtual reality experience perhaps was misplaced.

I anticipated 360-degree screen movement in tandem with head turns but, despite being equipped with a headtracker accessory, screen movement not only lagged but was minimal. To be fair, I believe the accessory was made as an alternative for mouse movement in computer games, plus the cinemizer OLED is meant to improve immersion but not necessarily provide a virtual reality experience.

In fact, the impact with the headtracker was disorienting. However, for a static entertainment option, in particular with the eye shield accessory equipped, it might succeed at increasing immersion whether in 2D or 3D. The presentation otherwise was crisp, clear and colorful with laudable depth perception.

DayZ creator Dean Hall demos his game for the press. I also saw Dominique Moynihan but he eluded my lens!

My E3: Warframe, Ryse, Contrast, Titanfall & More

Kyle Wadsworth — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 10:30:00 GMT

I drank and ate videogames the first day of the Electronic Entertainment Expo, partially because I forgot water but more precisely I ran out of time to do anything else. So here are the gory details of how this attendee starved himself of sustenance by gorging on virtual reality.

I made a beeline to Sony's booths, mainly out of curiosity. I'd told myself I would head first to Bethesda's so I could schedule some Elder Scrolls Online time, but ended up in the West Hall due to its proximity to the media lounge (which I didn't even enter).

First up was Beyond: Two Souls (PS3) by Quantic Dream. My familiarity with this developer was by virtue of having played Heavy Rain and Indigo Prophesy. However, I had little knowledge of this game except by reputation.

In retrospect, I shouldn't be surprised by its somewhat unintuitive controls. Despite being a quality game, I was never enamored with Heavy Rain's unique setup. Likewise, it was difficult to orient myself in Two Souls without a proper tutorial. I became stuck early on when I couldn't figure out what to do next.

At times you abandon Jodie and assume control of the spectral Aiden, who can travel unseen and collapse walls and choke or possess foes. When moving, one needs to scan the area for small orbs of light that indicate gameplay opportunities.

Action is controlled via the thumb sticks whether movement or attack (i.e. moving the sticks together to choke or apart to possess, if I recall). Jodie's melee combat, by contrast, involves face button quick time events, not to mention movement sometimes reliant on motion control. The combination can be daunting.

With practice, gameplay should be more fluid. Production values are top notch. However, I did overhear someone observe how much the demo level was reminiscent of Metal Gear Solid 4. Superficially it may be, but gameplay is decidedly different. Plus, faces are expressive and there is a particularly poignant moment.

Zombie Studios' Blacklight: Retribution (PC/PS4) is a FPS that benefits from standard, intuitive controls that rely on L2 to aim and R2 to fire. Targeting is precise though weapons have a pronounced recoil (albeit nothing that can't be accommodated).

An ability to see foes through walls and objects is nothing new but is well implemented and quickly becomes an important tool when vying online in team deathmatch. Good production values assist with such elements and combine with decent level design for intense firefights.

Also there was no noticeable lag, animations are smooth and effects are well implemented. Based on limited demo playtime, there isn't much that innovates, but it's a solid entry in the genre.

Contrast (PC/PS3/PS4/360), by Compulsion Games, is a revelation. From its beautiful, evocative art design to its fluid and unique platforming, this title appears to have all the elements of a success.

Its stylized design evokes the 1920s or '30s and has a noir sensibility; I overheard someone compare it to Tim Burton's style and while sharing some similarities, I frankly was reminded more of Ken Levine (BioShock series).

Platforming is lithe and precise, and implemented in a clever way. Your character can shift (R2) in and out of lit surfaces in order to climb shadows. You can also jump shift (X + R2) for an advantage or dash (circle) through thin shadows. Collectibles add further incentive.

Music, dialog and environments all establish an alluring atmosphere, while the gameplay literally adds a new dimension to an impressive game.

Digital Extremes' Warframe (PC/PS4) is a F2P cooperative third-person shooter or, perhaps more importantly, a game about space ninjas.

The Evolution 2 engine allows detailed graphics and particle effects plus fluid animation. The exceptional presentation holds up even during chaotic firefights that can involve up to four co-op players and many more foes. The variety of moves and attacks ups the ante where action is involved.

Associate Producer Patrick Kudirka (above, right) notes how Warframes was largely inspired by the original concept for Dark Sector. And while level cinematics help provide backstory and context for the action, the emphasis for now appears to be on the over the top action.

There are about 13 warframes and each have about four power sets (each assigned to a direction on the PS4 controller's touchpad). One even includes a glaive, standard issue for Dark Sector gamers. My warframe's powers also involved kinds of throwing knives and a bow and arrow.

These are in contrast to a (R1) melee attack, which can be charged. The triangle button switches between primary and secondary weapons. Every weapon is available to players. They can be unlocked through character progression or purchased.

Microtransactions might be available through companion apps, which could send alerts to gamers when rare items are dropped. Bosses, for instance, might drop rare items or pickups; so, while voluntary, fighting bosses can have a real payoff. Also, characters can be upgraded with new mods as they level up.

Other features are clan support and the ability to build dojos and dueling rooms (for one on one), as well as foundries to manufacture weapons and research labs to create blueprints.

Mutators allow for objectives to change, keeping the experience fresh. Jumping/sprinting/sliding likewise help keep the action frenetic. There are three to four character classes and about 11 game types, including defense/horde and search & destroy.

In my limited time, I was impressed with the responsiveness of the controls, though they do require some getting used to. Extra moves like firing when otherwise incapacitated or when sliding was appreciated.

The glaive attack proved useful and fun, though button mashing might lock you in to an animation at a critical function.

I pass the usual suspects at E3 on my way to the Miscrosoft booth.

Ryse: Son of Rome (Xbox One) employs "mashing to mastery" gameplay, wherein button mashing won't necessarily fail, but a gamer who's more methodical will earn more points, more upgrades, more quickly.

Moves include slash (X), shield bash (Y), execute (B), deflect (A) and archers (LB). When in a phalanx, cover (A) and spears (RT) are options. Despite simplistic controls, enemies will attack in droves, making strategic and judicious use of one's moves important. Indeed, the demo pointed out times I otherwise would have died.

It seemed as if your character's moves could be directed at foes other than the one engaged with, such as employing a shield bash or deflect move against an enemy attacking from behind. I might have seen an option mapped to a button, but can't recall for certain.

Such an option would prove invaluable when faced with more than one enemy, especially when attacked all at once. At least I was told the game will eventually have a dodge/roll button, which would make such encounters much more dynamic.

In the end, combat -- including brutal finishing moves -- was satisfying if not deep, and production values were excellent whether detailed graphics, rich sound effects or smooth animations. A promising launch title, especially as there are few quality ones covering that period.

Respawn demoed it's much anticipated Titanfall (PC/Xbox One/360) for attendees, and it lives up to expectations. This FPS features David vs. Goliath multiplayer combat between a human ground force of pilots and machines of war called titans.

The demo match involved competition for control points. Impressive pilot movement includes high jumps and kinds of double jumps, as well as wall running, all seemingly courtesy of jets. This allows for tremendous mobility amid well conceived maps with multiple elevations and paths.

Some standard weaponry including rifles and RPGs are augmented by alternate fire (like rapid fire grenades?) or abilities, as well as gameplay opportunities presented by the mech titans.

Highlights that drew a favorable reaction from attendees included wall running, shooting foes out of the sky, climbing and disabling a titan, and stopping rockets in midair (as a titan) before turning them on your foe.

The presentation was top notch and the action intense in this impressive shooter.

Speaking of shooters, Dice was on hand for its Battlefield 4 (multiplatform) demo. The setting for the multiplayer match was an urban environment reminiscent of Battlefield 3 map. Control points were spread among the numerous buildings.

As with previous installments, controls are standard and intuitive, targeting is precise, movement is fluid and firefights intense. Vehicles likewise control well whether driving or using their weapons.

It was a solid outing despite significant glitching in the rubble of a building, where I and others became stuck in the environment (excusable for a demo). In fact the experience was very similar to its predecessor(s).

In practice I didn't notice any real advancement. However, the gameplay shown in the waiting room wowed some in attendance, whether disabling support pillars to bring down a high-rise control point or collapse an overhead street to disable a tank, as well as base jumping off a high rise to control points.

Indeed, the environment did seem more destructible in general than I remember it, which is an achievement in a series renown for such capability. Another solid outing from Dice, who hopefully can implement such destructive -- and strategic -- opportunities on a larger scale.

Surviving Metro 2033

Kyle Wadsworth — Tue, 14 May 2013 01:00:00 GMT

Metro: Last Light is around the corner so I thought I'd finally post my initial impressions of the first game in this fledgling but promising series. Metro 2033 is a post-apocalyptic first person shooter set in Moscow amid a nuclear scarred surface and a metro underground besieged by mutants.

Given its reputation, I'd always wanted to try the game on Xbox 360; however, I was able to obtain a promo code for the PC version free, so happily struggled with the mechanics at the same time fighting mutants. The thing is, as I'd written about Microsoft Flight, PC gaming is a challenge as my computer is little more than a word processor.

That said, I somehow got it to install and run, so I was ecstatic. Granted, my bar is set pretty low, but the fact I could experience this anticipated game at all was reward in and of itself. And considering the enjoyment I derived from my limited playtime, I can only imagine how it would play on the proper equipment and settings.

The Moscow setting is compelling though in my limited playtime I didn't get to see much of the surface. Compared to wandering the wastes of many post-apocalyptic games, much of the action presumably takes place in the underground tunnels that, in and of themselves, are relatively unique and atmospheric.

So, how do I tell the nightmarish mutants from the ragtag miscreants I call comrade?

The Russian metro is an interesting environment, especially when converted into a makeshift habitat by survivors. The challenge for designer 4A Games is in making it stand out compared with traditional corridor shooters, such as Doom, that it is more reminiscent of.

An important distinction, in fact, is the characters that inhabit this subterranean shelter. Besides the cultural trappings in the form of keepsakes, posters, uniforms, etc., the Russian accents, dialog, personalities and issues help imbue the environment with a particular identity.

My PC operates on minimal effort -- a computer after my own heart!

The environment would be moot if I couldn't view or play the game properly, and at higher settings it chugged at a gruesome rate on my archaic system. However, adjusting to the lowest settings mostly allowed for an adequate presentation with only minor framerate issues and a measure of audio/visual fidelity resulting in an immersive experience.

Splendid idea! And next time, you sample the radioactive canned goods. Deal?

Speaking of gruesome, attempting to learn PC gaming controls is a frightening exercise for a lifelong console gamer. But as with Microsoft Flight before, I know it's not an impossible task. And although I can't compare the keyboard/mouse controls with other computer configurations, the learning curve was not too steep so I feel that they are somewhat intuitive.

Red is always such a warm, inviting color, especially in mutant infested quarters.

The atmosphere is well conceived and contributes to a sense of forboding especially when on missions. Early on, the game does not distinguish itself to any great degree, but the art design and presentation still are well done, helping immerse players in the underground world and promote exploration.

What's the letter for accessing a quick reference of key commands?

The basic movement and weapons controls, as suggested, are serviceable, but when adding other gameplay elements to the core keys it begins to overwhelm for someone unaccustomed to such configurations. In fact, the OCD in me demanded I create a keyboard diagram to map all the actions for a quick reference guide.

It seems some micromanagement might have been streamlined or removed for the sequel, which no doubt will help make the entire experience more fluid and less cumbersome. It remains to be seen whether such compromises will detract or contribute to one's immersion in the post-apocalyptic setting.

You'd be angry and aggressive if you looked like this, too.

Mutants, at least early on, come in two varieties; one being a kind of indistinct humanoid creature that scurries about the environment. Its attack is mostly a charge that typically occurs in packs. Although movement is dynamic, AI is not too challenging. Indeed, my challenge was in not panicking while I tried to type an attack.

In darkness apparently it's easy to mistake anything for a gas mask.

There is some loot to be gathered while exploring one's surroundings. While not an open world game, different areas afford an opportunity for limited exploration, and each setting effectively depicts the post-nuclear, hardscrabble life, with occasional corpses adding to the chilling scenery.

American Idol is creepy in any language.

Outside of dark corridors, visibility can be likewise obscured by nightfall or snow. This contributes to already tense situations when on patrol in inhospitable areas such as the surface. In this looming confrontation, our group was attacked by scores of mutants.

My instinct is to spray and pray when under assault, a reaction made more extreme when the framerate takes a dramatic dip on my low powered hardware. Imagine a stop-motion scene of otherwise frenetic combat made more ridiculous by my laggy control inputs. It actually was pretty funny to watch. Thank goodness I had backup!

Though I don't remember having an opportunity to engage them (and not just because of my framerate issues), airborne foes are another variety of mutant that make an early appearance. It's just as well, as I had my hands full with standard issue land-based enemies; that said, weapons controls prove capable, all things being equal.

Back inside the tunnels, survivors keep a few mementos from their former lives, or at least from the prewar world. Such artifacts contribute to the sense of longing and solemnity that permeate discussions and expressions everywhere you go underground. The sense of loss and despair is palpable, befitting such a scenario and somewhat rare among games.

Self-referential posters (above) are part of the decoration adorning subterranean walls. I think it's supposed to represent advertising for a film but still has the impact of breaking the fourth wall, a questionable practice not that uncommon in games.

Watching pavement crack is the new watching paint dry.

The atmosphere in Metro 2033 is oppressive though not prohibitively so. There's a fine line between making entertainment that is dire and alienating your audience, but this game manages to engross by virtue of interesting characters struggling against an overwhelming predicament.

The nightmare scenario depicted in the game is never more pronounced than when illustrated by the medical emergency survivors face on a daily basis. The doctor(s) and their patients, not to mention the limited medical facilities, bear witness to the indignities and tragedy of everyday life in the tunnels.

The entrance of this figure (above) reminds me of John Goodman's exterminator in Arachnophobia. He's an example of the variety of characters to be found on one's journey through the game world, so far one of the strongest impulses for forward progress in this title.

Canned beans again? And no windows anywhere ...

Along your journey you'll see survivors in mundane or sometimes interesting pursuits and overhear conversations or arguments. The dialog generally is well written and tells a compelling narrative of survival and desperation, and the voice acting effectively conveys such a story, at least as far as I can recall.

Many characters you'll have sympathy for, though others you'll want to throttle. Indeed, if the atmosphere nails the post-apocalyptic fantasy world in all its grim and forboding aspects, the characters are what animate it in such a convincing and engrossing way.

In my limited play with the PC version of Metro 2033, the gameplay is solid enough at least as it relates to basic action and shooting mechanics, but it's the art design and characters that make for a distinctive journey worth playing. On the basis of my experience thus far, I will consider picking up Metro: Last Light (release date 5/14/13).

The Peculiar Charms of a Dead Island

Kyle Wadsworth — Thu, 02 May 2013 15:00:00 GMT

Some video games are so fun to play that their technical glitches become less glaring or even part of the overall enjoyment. Techland's Dead Island series includes such games, and Riptide is no exception. Indeed, the otherwise impressive presentation and eminently enjoyable gameplay remind me of Reality Pump's Two Worlds 2.

Two Worlds 2 also benefitted from an entertaining sense of humor and amusing glitches whether bones suspended in the air, broken cliffsides or trailing ghost images. While Riptide could benefit from a more wry perspective, some glitches do make me laugh. Of course I'm biased, but so far the flaws detract less from the game than add a sometimes humorous element.

One feature that excited me was a cave (yes, I'm easy to please). I don't recall any caves or similar landmarks in the previous game, so the opportunity for some RPG-friendly, dungeon-like crawling thrilled me. This named cave required loading prior to entering, and did not disappoint, at least where enemies are concerned.

It goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway: This zombie apocalypse is one bloody game scenario. Luckily for me, my preorder bonus included a special weapon called the BBQ Blade. It proved effective at lopping off the arms of the powerful thug zombie before putting him out of commission (above, top).

My strategy is to draw zombies away from crowds to help even the odds, but sometimes I get more than I bargain for. That leads to some spamming of the attack button, though you have to watch your stamina meter and health bar (thankfully health packs aren't rare). I managed to survive by the skin of my trusted BBQ Blade (above, bottom).

As I pointed out in my previous blog, collision detection is one of the more common design flaws. If it wasn't, this six-armed monstrosity (above) would have been quite a sight to behold in action! However, as it is a problem, don't be surprised to see zombies disappear into walls, equipment or other parts of the environment.

The trend today seems to be homicidal island cults to judge by Riptide (above), Tomb Raider or Far Cry 3, at least. When I first came across this (and signs do appear elsewhere as well) it definitely felt familiar. What happened to just having nasty wild animals or fantastic beasts making caves their home? Still, this cave was well designed.

Riptide, like its predecessor, is one of those few games that sports some impressive detail in its environmental design. Yes, the detail up close can be inconsistent, but overall the islands in this archipelago are beautifully conceived. Like Banoi in the first game, Palanai is a believable tropical paradise with realistic topography, dwellings and offices.

I've read that the map can be a poor tool, but in this case (above) it demonstrates the perpetual open world that has become a hallmark of the series. Few areas, especially outdoors, require loading and one can travel to most areas on the map. I ended up traveling around the peninsula to explore this river canyon.

Dead Island games have a variety of characters to interact with and no two are alike. Though zombies are another matter, but they're just fodder for your arsenal so what does it matter? That said, it might be more compelling if each were different enough to sport names instead of labels.

Imagine if some of the materials you find allude to certain individuals or families and then you were to come across them as undead versions of themselves? Depending on the materials you found, would it make you hesitate to kill them (assuming you remember)? Just an idea ...

The inventory menu is the same as in the original game, showing each item and its attributes. Another hallmark of this franchise is the huge arsenal of existing and customizable weapons obtained through loot grinding and quest completion. It's so integral to the experience I nearly blew my top when I lost everything early, though it was by design.

I really do feel like a tourist when exploring Dead Island isles. The beauty of the art design and the realism of the habitats (natural and artificial) establish a convincing sense of place to anchor the action. Indeed the variety in each scene, the contextual materials, the color palette, etc. all combine to create a uniquely immersive world.

Allow me to geek out like in my past Riptide blog about the detailed textures. It can be inconsistent but often shows impressive craftsmanship as in the (above) tree bark, wood post or even rope. Characters are less defined, especially in cut scenes, but nonetheless can be compelling in their own right and, mostly, distinctive.

By far the most entertaining glitch thus far has been these wayward zombies (if that's not redundant). They wandered this small area without attacking, and even my comrades were oblivious to their threat. It offered a rare, if weird, example of what life would be like if we put aside our differences and chose to live in harmony.

What happened was that I had an objective behind my companions and sprinted past the undead horde that materialized in between. When I met my objective, it triggered a cut scene despite the enemies on screen. After the cut scene, I found these few stragglers not only bereft of their friends but seemingly of a will to live, er, die, um, whatever.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

The first video (above) shows how both zombies and humans ignore each other. Though I didn't get footage of them literally running circles around my comrades, they do lurch and lunge menacingly at them while their prey try to engage me in a discussion. It's ironic that one character is responsible for upgrading camp defenses. Slacker!

(Please visit the site to view this media)

The second video (above) shows my character tiring of the useless undead in our midst, whacking the passive zombies repeatedly until they're put out of their -- and our -- misery. Note the glitch within the glitch, where one downed zombie levitates off the ground and flips right side up in order to stand. That is one wicked move!

Finally, taking this show out on the road again, I was walking beneath a clear blue sky on a sunny day when in a split second the sky turned dark and a downpour dumped on me from on high (above). It was a surreal moment in a string of peculiar scenarios but ones that proved entertaining nonetheless.

Of course, like any other game, I'd rather not have to experience any glitches in a game, but at least to this point those I have encountered are of a more amusing kind than might otherwise happen. No doubt the fun I'm having with the game colors my impression of them. Good thing, then, that I'm enjoying my stay on Palanai.

If a Zombie Has Warts, Would You Notice?

Kyle Wadsworth — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 01:00:00 GMT

I'm a big fan of Dead Island, warts and all. The well-conceived zombie apocalypse, impressive open world, satisfying melee combat, diverse custom arsenal and effective drop-in/drop-out co-op gameplay overcame considerable technical glitches to secure its place among the most fun video games I've played.

Dead Island: Riptide looks to continue in its bloody footsteps for better and for worse. My initial impressions of the sequel, based on less than an hour of the campaign, confirms that it's an entertaining follow up still plagued by design flaws. For the record, I played the PS3 version in single-player just to get a feel for the game.

Wolverine is leading a new band of mutant misfits.

Despite having the opportunity to import my Sam B character from the first game, I decided to try out the new melee-based John Morgan character. An Aussie with claws (apparently), the resemblance to Hugh Jackman's Wolverine is unmistakeable, and too strong a temptation to resist when going up against undead hordes.

Few tropical paradises can boast of being a literal tourist trap.

The opening video not only summarizes the threadbare story of the previous game, but also events that transpire during the brief period in between the two titles. As before, the narrative provides just enough context for the setting and your actions without troubling gamers with drama or emotional investment.

Riptide has been criticized for lag during gameplay, and while I noticed some framerate drops just navigating the world, the worst lag at the beginning of the game occurred during the opening video. I can't remember the last time that any video regularly chugged along in such an ignominious fashion.

Why is there never a World Hard Combat Association member around when you need them?

John is given a backstory like any of the other characters, though his suggests a more direct involvement in the goings on than anyone else. Whether this plays out in the overall story is up for speculation, but it would certainly add an interesting twist and introduce an opportunity for character development.

The dialog is standard though John's incredulity at his predicament at times made me laugh, which got me thinking that the writers could improve the experience with more wisecracks and banter a la Battlefield: Bad Company's squad exchanges. It might undermine the suspense, though handled properly it could relieve tension at times.

That said, the voice acting as before is decent and spotlights how a more effective script could go a long way to making a compelling story.

"Plush accommodations" in the brochure must have referred to the pillows.

Ships are underutilized in survival horror games. Last gen's Cold Fear was one of the first to effectively employ the setting, so I was glad to see that gameplay begins in this environment. The camera mimics the to and fro swaying of a boat on the ocean, which helps immerse one in their surroundings but can likewise instill motion sickness.

Riptide has a Space Invaders minigame hidden in the menus.

Skill trees return to add a welcome role-playing element. Each character begins with 15 available upgrades that can be automatically assigned based on preset character types or can be customized by the player. I tend to favor survival skills given my overall lack of them in general, though combat and fury skills have a definite appeal.

I'm guessing instructions say to turn the thingamajigs to the watchamacallits.

Another criticism has been the graphics and there are instances, such as the knobs and dials above right, where textures are bland and edges jaggy. That said, there are many more examples of detailed textures that show variety and real depth, such as the pipe and valve control above left (this is in stark contrast to even AAA titles like BioShock Infinite).

The overall design of ship interiors not only feels authentic but demonstrates a commitment to a dynamic setting. The scene above, for example, not only benefits from camera sway, but an operational fan (above right) and turbine (left), not to mention the light cast by a door swinging back and forth (left).

Any other day, crew members would be more worried about OSHA inspectors.

Developer Techland did a superior job establishing a creepy atmosphere in Riptide's predecessor, and this game likewise invokes a palpable sense of dread with every dimly lit, debris-strewn, blood-soaked area. Within the cramped confines of a ship, such a treatment effectively ratchets up the suspense.

Impeccable sound design reminiscent of Dead Space contributes to the sometimes oppressive survival horror theme. Creaking walls, clanging pipes and ambiguous metallic or mechanical noises combine with wailing zombies to raise the hair on the back of your neck. Indeed, one pipe scared the heck out of me as it loudly clanged while I passed.

Here's hoping the weak crowbar is effective against the green blob enveloping me on my map.

Loot grinding is another role playing element that has become an essential component of the Dead Island formula. Mostly consisting of weapons or potential weapon components, loot at the beginning is fairly standard though providing a variety of options such as this crowbar (above), wrenches, pipes, hanbos, batons, knives, brass knuckles, etc.

Marco Polo is not as endearing when played with bloodthirsty zombies.

As with the first game, lighting plays an important role and is well implemented whether in partially lit scenes or dark corridors requiring a flashlight. Objects are convincingly illuminated and shadows are believably cast. It's all in service of the post apocalyptic scenario and happily adds an extra layer or discomfort.

The level of detail constantly impresses me. The flyers posted (above, top) not only show particulars that many games eschew, but even appear wrinkled and otherwise worn. Some machines or monitors (above, bottom) likewise display detailed numbers or diagrams. Admittedly, such treatment is inconsistent, but much better than many other titles.

I want to see a zombie apocalypse version of Tool Time with Tim Allen.

Workbenches return to allow players to repair, upgrade or create weapons for a cost, nevermind that paying for yourself to do so alone at a nonautomated bench seems arbitrary. However, as in the past game it should allow for the creation of some formidable weapons when combined with items like nails, batteries, etc.

See the Joker in the middle of the floor at the bottom of the above screenshot? No? Why so serious?

Technical glitches likewise make a return in Riptide. Up to this point the only thing I noticed regularly was collision detection issues where my crowbar would phase through objects like doors. But the above issue, where a substance like water appears to flow through this engineering deck, is a unique problem triggered only when standing in one spot.

The only good zombie is a dead zombie. Double-tap dead, that is.

Finally I'm able to engage the undead in some satisfying combat. At least this early in the game, it still plays much like the original game. In fact I kind of regret not using my initial upgrades to complete my Fury skill tree or mostly finish the Combat skill tree and thereby try out John's uppercut, run kick or area attacks.

In any event, the standard kick or weapon attacks prove as reliable as ever in combating the low level zombies players face in the beginning of the campaign. Context sensitive damage and rag doll physics once again make fighting intense, and still remind me of the exceptional melee combat in the Condemned series.

Do zombies dream of undead sheep?

This dead undead made me laugh by still looking around despite being permanently felled by my boot. Another more significant glitch involving zombies occurred when I stomped a foe who had fallen. Despite having practically full health, he fell through the floor and died immediately. I'll take the TKO.

Turns out, the undead are not so well armed.

I took off this zombie's arm (above) with a lucky kick. Depending on equipped weapons, there are myriad ways for the undead to be dispatched. As with the previous title, I assume some strategy will be involved, such as lopping off the powerful arms of thug zombies.

Air stenciling is a practiced art on long, lonely voyages.

Graphical glitches like the one described earlier or the one above involving a letter stenciled in the air are not uncommon. Unfortunately collision detection problems like that involving my crowbar or the felled zombie are more common. Others such as disappearing weapons are recurring as well; indeed one I picked up never appeared in my inventory.

You'll never hear anyone say to a zombie, "Don't lose your head!"

Injury is context sensitive so a blow to the head with a wrench can split open a zombie's noggin (above). What impressed me is that this wounded zombie lifted his arms and charged me nonetheless before falling for the last time. I'd seen such behavior in the first game but it still is a pleasant surprise.

Bob rises to the occasion, over and over and over again.

Another humorous glitch can involve floating zombies. Once felled for good, the one above bobbed up and down lower and lower until shooting up out of the water like a whale breaching the surface before repeating the process over and over. It's an odd display to be sure but amusing nonetheless.

The glitches, however, have not undermined the fun I've had playing Riptide. Frankly, I have not experienced much new that the game has to offer though I wouldn't expect to this early (unless I had maxed out the Fury or Combat skill trees). However, I enjoy the ship setting, which also includes multiple paths in some instances.

Indeed, art design and level design thus far have impressed me, and the gameplay maintains the same intuitive control as the first game. QTEs likewise return when overcome by a zombie, but they're simple exercises. If the beginning is any indication, gamers will love or hate this game depending on how they felt about its predecessor.

For my money, I can't wait to continue the campaign, especially online with friends (you reading this, mojomonkey12?).

Screenshots for Dummies (Like Me)

Kyle Wadsworth — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 15:00:00 GMT

I am a decent screenshotographer. I should know, I made up that ridiculous, pretentious label. But don't take my word for it, ask the voices in my head (seriously, voices, you're embarassing me!). Anyway, I've been asked about my screenshots over the years, though more often lately. So I've decided to pull back the curtain on this freak show.

I say freak show because you will see that the quality of my screenshots is in direct proportion to how obsessive/compulsive I can be and to what degree I am a perfectionist as opposed to my having any real skill or innate ability when it comes to the visual arts. So if you share these traits, congrats, you can be a screenshotographer too!

I suspect people ask about my screenshots so they can benefit from my considerable wisdom and do the exact opposite of what I describe. After all, if you're familiar with how I play video games, you've probably got a healthy mistrust of anything I can tell you that masquerades as advice. And in that regard, you've got something in common with my kids.

And just like with my kids, I am going to use a lot of fancy pants language to beguile and distract from the fact I have no idea what I'm talking about. I'll discuss things like composition, shutter speed ... well that's it, I don't know any other photography terminology. Well I know aperture, but have no idea what it is outside of a name in Portal.

Hardware

I'm most often asked what I use to take screenshots. Well I don't use video or screen capture hardware/software, though if you've seen my action shots, that fact is too painfully clear. The fact is, I need a relatively cheap and easy means of taking screenshots, because I'm nothing if not cheap and easy.

If I remember, pricing for video or screen capture hardware/software begins around $100 and can cost up to several hundred dollars depending on quality. It also operates with a PC, and my setup makes such a connection impractical. So my poison has always been cameraphones.

For the past several months, I've been using a Motorola Droid Razr smartphone (above). I'd argue that a smartphone is only as intelligent as its operator, but that's another discussion. For two years prior, I was using an HTC Droid Incredible (a decent phone, but hardly incredible), and previous to that I'd used an LG flip-phone.

One consideration for quality is how your camera settings are configured. I might be confusing my current phone with my previous model (confusion is my normal state), but I can't seem to find more detailed settings such as resolution; however, it is an HD phone and I believe the resolution is set high (as I'd set it on my prior phone).

An important element is keeping flash off, which goes without saying but can be problematic as my Razr's default is flash on (at least the Incredible remembered your custom setting). If adjustable, also consider changing the brightness and color settings to ensure the image closely resembles your TV/computer monitor and is also clear.

For what it's worth, I play on my Playstation 3 most often. I don't recall to what extent the visual settings are adjustable, though I suspect mine were left at the defaults. (Last but not least, remember to turn any lights off, or risk glare.)

I recently upgraded my TV monitor to an LG LED HDTV, model 42LM3400/3700 (above), which I've been using for the past few months. Prior to that, I had a Sony Bravia, model KDL-V32XBR2. In comparison, the former has a clearer picture due to the LED screen and/or better contrast in general (the latter is notorious for a too-dark picture).

The TV settings mostly were left at their default options though I might have tinkered with a few. For these it's always preferrable to try a variety of channels to ensure that the settings are the most effective regardless of the image. That said, you might not want to trust an old man with poor eyesight and even worse judgment.

Composition

When I talk about composition I mean how you stage the screenshot. That might not be the conventional definition but I'm decidedly unconventional -- or at least stubborn, so my definition stands for purposes of this exercise.

The first consideration is framing. When I play, I sit a few feet from the screen. That might not be optimal for any number of reasons, but with a 42-inch screen I like the perspective sitting at that distance. Also, when I need to charge my controller or wear my wired headset, that's as far away as I can sit. But let's pretend it's my choice.

It also happens to be the best distance for taking screenshots with a smartphone. I try to match my phone's viewscreen with the TV screen (I also have my cameraphone set to widescreen, which I believe is default but happens to also match my television). This cuts down on the need for cropping screenshots and also gives a better representation when sizing.

The next consideration is the image itself. In general, I try to take screenshots during lulls in onscreen action, as this allows time for staging the shot you want and ensures a more clear image. For this discussion, I'll break it up into two sections, still life and action.

Still Life

In between action, you have the opportunity to establish the shot that will best present visually whatever idea you're inspired to blog about. In other words, you can move your character to the optimum location, change stance or equip your character as appropriate, adjust the camera to the best perspective, etc.

For instance, if you want to capture the level design, you'll move to the spot that will provide the best overall view; conversely, if you want a character close-up, move to the nearest wall and swing the camera so it's facing your character (all the while keeping in mind how in-game lighting will impact your image).

There have been occasions where I'll need to adjust my cameraphone's settings while staging a screenshot, typically because the image in my viewscreen doesn't match the one on the TV monitor whether color, brightness, contrast, etc. Sometimes just focusing (pressing the touchscreen) in a given area will have the desired effect.

Regarding the focus feature, I usually have to press the touchscreen between screenshots to ensure the image is in focus, as the camera will often refocus on its own (resulting in shots taken mid-focus). And as suggested, focusing on different areas will alter the image (i.e. pressing on a dark area will lighten the image; pressing on a light area will darken it).

Action

I've gotten to the point where I typically try to avoid actions shots, though that hasn't stopped me on any number of occasions (did I mention how stubborn I am?). The problem is that when taking shots manually, as opposed to with video or screen capture hardware/software, images are necessarily blurry and suffer from ghosting (or trailing animations).

Part of the problem is a logistic one, as it involves resting the controller on my left thigh while holding the fingers on my left hand over two or three buttons necessary for executing certain actions including pausing the game, while simultaneously holding my smartphone in my right hand between middle finger and thumb and with my index finger on the shutter button.

The process is a little less involved when taking screenshots of cut scenes or scripted events (unless, of course, quick time events are included). These sequences typically involve alternating between pressing the touchscreen to focus and pressing the shutter button, often in a kind of QTE all its own to ensure that I capture an otherwise fleeting moment.

Despite my best intentions, all such screenshots are invariably of poor quality and require some heavy handed editing. In fact, I included two examples below to best demonstrate the impact of the editing process; though in retrospect the result is worse than can be achieved with still life images and, frankly, might undermine this whole endeavor. Oh well.

It's for these reasons that I'm more likely now to show the outcome of action instead. However, more games help pause the action, such as The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Dragon's Dogma (which actually allows in-game screenshots) and Tomb Raider. Even this might be moot if next gen hardware in fact includes video/screen capture capabilities.

Upload/download

The next step is uploading/downloading one's smartphone pictures. This can be done locally via cable to one's PC or remotely via the phone's share feature to an image hosting website like Flickr (which I use for more flexibility and to save my screenshots online). On Flickr, shots are saved to a Photostream that can be easily accessed.

When I do upload to Flickr, I do so in quantities of eight at most. To do otherwise has resulted in some images failing to upload right away if at all. Likewise, I'll wait until all eight are uploaded before choosing another batch to send, as multiple concurrent uploads jeopardize the successful transmission of any one image.

Flickr allows users to save any size of an image to a destination such as one's desktop. I typically will save a 640 size copy as 610 is the maximum allowable size for posting to GIO. I also will save a 1024 size copy for use as a Hero Image given that the maximum is 910. In this regard, the higher your camera resolution is set the larger the images you can use.

Editing

Although my smartphone has photo editing features related to lighting, effects, color and cropping, I rarely use them as they tend to be simplified functions best for sharing with social media. Instead, I use photo editing software. Again, I go for cheap and easy so use software already installed on my computers or whatever came with respective office suites.

Now, the tricky part here (and it's ALL tricky IMO; after all, you can't teach an old dog new tricks) is that photo quality is going to change depending on the hardware or software used. From TV to console to phone to computer, each has its own settings that impact how your screenshots appear. Viewing them in a Web browser can vary their appearance further.

That said, you can't account for how other components portray an image, including how readers of your blog have customized the settings on their viewing devices. You have to adjust each component's settings independently and hope they all play nice together.

My default program of choice is Microsoft Office Picture Manager on my PC. To begin, I crop the sides of each respective screenshot, and virtually every image requires cropping. (I'll adjust the rotation first if necessary, but usually this step isn't required due to the time taken to carefully frame each shot prior to taking it.)

Once cropped so only the image shows, I resize it to fit the maximum allowable size on the site (a width of 610). This tool resizes the entire photo larger or smaller in preset increments; to be more precise so most photos are of a similar size, I sometimes use the cropping tool again to adjust specific sides.

Color can be altered based on three measurements: Amount, Hue and Saturation. I don't use Amount or Hue much, as the former I think ranges from grayscale to darker shades, whereas Hue is like tint and makes images more red or blue. Both just aren't very practical. I end up adjusting Saturation on most images that I use.

Saturation will impact how bright each color appears, which is especially helpful when images are washed out. An interesting side effect is how small adjustments into the positive range seem to help sharpen the image by subtly brightening colors; in fact, in lieu of a Sharpness or Definition option, I'll use Saturation to make most images more clear.

Brightness and Contrast likewise is a helpful setting. There are three measurements including Midtones. As with color, I don't often use two of the settings, Brightness and Contrast, though might make incremental changes. Midtones is the tool that I most often will adjust and sometimes dramatically.

The advantage of Midtones is that the changes are more subtle. Brightening into the positive range won't wash out the image, whereas darkening into the negative range won't obscure it. Interestingly, incremental changes in this tool (like in Saturation) has the effective of seemingly making the screenshot more clear.

The advantages of such software might not be readily clear in these comparison shots (above), but please don't judge the process based on how big a tool the screenshotographer is. Again, I think the difference is more obvious with an action shot even if the final result isn't a high quality image. On second thought, go ahead and consider the source. I would.

When using a Mac, I start off with Apple's iPhoto '09 (Version 8.1.2). This program has basic Edit features such as Straighten, Crop and Adjust. The only option that's missing is one to effectively resize the image, for which I use different Apple software that I'll mention below (there is an option in iPhoto, I believe, just not one that's practical).

Straighten allows the image to be rotated accordingly. As on the PC, this is not a tool I need to use often, however, the option in iPhoto or Microsoft Office Picture Manager is fairly intuitive and, as in the case above, allows me to make small adjustments that can account for the occasional crooked action shot.

Cropping an image is pretty straightforward though it's handled almost exclusively through manipulating the frame. There is no option to adjust each side based on measurement. To that extent, this tool is not as effective for sizing as it is for adjusting image borders.

The Adjust feature allows for customizing a variety of elements though I tend to use mostly Saturation, Definition, Shadows and Sharpness. Saturation impacts color, Shadows is similar to contrast, and Definition and Sharpness affect image clarity. The latter two are particularly useful tools that I wish were options in Microsoft's software.

As indicated earlier, there is an option in iPhoto for adjusting size. However, if I recall it offers predetermined choices for generic sizes without providing a corresponding measurement. I therefore use Apple's ColorSync Utility (Version 4.6.2) to resize images as it allows one to input custom figures, ensuring that screenshots can be size 610-by-X.

Hopefully, as in the earlier example, the difference between before and after screenshots not only is appreciable but improved as a result of my tinkering. At the same time, this exercise might serve as a cautionary tale about taking action shots with a smartphone, which in hands as adept as mine is less smart than smart aleck.

The last step is to use the insert image tool in Advanced Editor on GIO for adding each edited screenshot to my draft blog. I'm not advocating others follow this practice, as I understand that adding such media to the site potentially can slow it down. Indeed, links from image hosting sites like Photobucket can be used instead.

The reason I don't use links is because many times links to such sites (and I've used two or three, though my feeble mind can't recall the others) have failed me. Conversely, inserting the images themselves always meets with success. Though again I encourage others to do as I say not as I do because my example speaks for itself. (That's what I tell my kids, anyway.)

That said, I do try to post fewer screenshots. As opposed to the phlogs that used to include up to 40 images, I now routinely will post ones that display 20 or up to 30. The main impetus is to keep from weighing down the site (in lieu of using an image hosting site), but also it just takes way too much time to create longer phlogs.

By the numbers, my phlogs historically have run with 20 to 40 images, so let's say 30 on average. For every image, I've taken between one and, let's say, five shots in order to have one image that's useful for editing. On average, that's three shots per image. That means that, on average, I've taken 90 shots. That doesn't count images I reject, so let's round to 100.

Those 100 shots typically represent two hours of playtime. Now, the 30 images I actually use have to be edited prior to posting, and then I have to write my phlog based on my playtime and often reference the content in those images (including captions at times). I use Advanced Editor because I can save drafts, an important option for me as I write as time allows.

In my experience, it takes me at least four to six hours and as much as eight to 10 to create a phlog. That includes time spent playing, uploading/downloading photos, editing screenshots and writing copy, all over several nights during any given week. Perhaps now you recall how I mentioned I can be obsessive/compulsive and a perfectionist.

That said, the process is a labor of love for me. Yes, love for the medium but, more importantly, love for the community as well. Without the support and encouragement of the staff as well as friends I've made on Game Informer Online and even members I don't know, I would not be inspired to put as much time and effort into my phlogs.

So, thank you to everyone on GIO for welcoming me into this community and making me continue to feel welcome every day. It's an honor and a privilege.

Happy fishing!

Under the Columbia Big Top

Kyle Wadsworth — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 01:00:00 GMT

The circus has come to town if Irrational Games has anything to say about it. With a high wire act, balloons, magic, pyrotechnics and a freak show, Columbia resembles less an exemplary bastion of Americana than a cavalcade of weird -- albeit entertaining -- eccentricities. And befitting such a creative presentation, it's hard to keep away from BioShock Infinite.

My relatively short stay in Columbia has been spent mostly consumed by the details, and they lay bare not only the ambitious nature of Irrational's undertaking but also how such a grand design can sometimes gloss over particulars that taken together could help undermine an otherwise solid foundation.

A retiree's dream, where you never have to yell "Get off my lawn!" again.

The design of Columbia inspires with its platforming possibilities. The Sky-Line itself certainly is a welcome means of navigating the city, however, the opportunity to jump from one building to another a la Crackdown would have added a compelling element given the various platforms that make up the metropolis.

Of course when I tried to only jump down to an adjacent building (above), I apparently transgressed gameplay parameters and was gently put back from whence I came. In a way, I would have preferred a barrier instead of this enticing possibility. As is, I tried again, with predictable results. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on you again.

Who knew shining shoes pays for the same wardrobe as one's well heeled clients?

On at least a couple occasions I was able to stand on someone's head without so much as a peep from them (above). Perhaps they just ignored the visitor's backward ways or it's established custom. But if I was this customer, I would have demanded my money back as the brush was about two inches away from his shoe at all times.

A man of many hats, though you wouldn't know it to look at him.

A pet peeve of mine with Infinite is shared by other titles but seems especially egregious in this game. The developers, at least early in the game, appeared to have settled on only a small handful of character models. Not to mention that wardrobes are likewise limited to a few styles.

I'm hopeful that like the engineering feat necessary to keep Columbia afloat, scientists were ahead of their time where cloning is involved. Otherwise, I suppose the apparently small genetic pool and limited clothing options could be a consequence of Columbia's remote setting. Right?

Barbershop quartets in Columbia armpit-fart to the oldies.

These couples not only could pass for twins but wore the same clothes and even posed the same despite being in two locations only yards apart. I had to do a double take! Haha get it? Unfortunately the joke is on gamers when the creativity on display with Columbia architecture and interior design doesn't extend to character creation.

Different colors couldn't mask their shame at dressing alike.

In fact, there are so few character models at least in some areas that in crowds you'll inevitably see several of the same design. Of course it's not a deal breaker but it's so common as to be a constant distraction everywhere I go. It makes me want to punch somebody, but that's not an option. I tried.

I said "flour," not "flower."

It also would be nice to speak with anyone I meet though, as with other games, this is not an option. There are a few NPCs one can actually speak with, then there are a few others that will talk to you if not with you. At least most will have a few lines of dialog that they initially exchange with each other, which can be amusing.

Finally! Do you hear that, toaster?

Then there are those hawkers who actually have something meaningful to offer you. Vigors, like Rapture's Plasmids, instill abilities that open the gameplay in compelling fashion. I've only obtained Devil's Kiss, Possession and Murder of Crows so far, but they help thin swarms of foes.

When I snap my fingers, you will sing "Call Me Maybe."

Irrational deserves credit for creating an atmosphere that not only feels authentic to the setting's historical period, but at the same time is a convincing alternate reality that explores the road less travelled. Like Rapture before, Columbia is a testing ground for "what if" scenarios that play out like cautionary tales.

Such speculation would fall flat if not for the obvious research and care taken when recreating the period. Irrational games boast authentic architecture and interior design as well as wardrobes and accents such as furniture, paintings, etc. With that foundation, imaginative devices, materials and capabilities are made to seem more plausible and real.

Perhaps that's what makes certain technical issues all the more jarring (also, I don't recall such problems with the original BioShock). Besides mention in my previous blog of the door I could pass through and bland textures, I noticed many collision detection issues such as plants that poke through walls or bodies through furniture, and some mediocre particle effects.

I possess this wall in the name of noobs everywhere!

Animation for the Possession vigor is admittedly impressive, even when one inadvertently unleashes it on a nearby wall (above). Too bad it can't simply float to the nearest enemy, however, I can't fault the developers for not taking into account my occasional ineptitude.

Some have elevated camping to an art.

Taking possession of turrets has the same impact as the hacking minigame in the original game in this series -- and is likewise effective at clearing an area of enemies. I don't recall that the hacking effect wore off as possession does; nonetheless, it bought me time to approach this turret from behind (above).

Once so strategically situated, I proceeded to melee the turret into submission, or so I thought. How was I to know that its swivel base turned in a complete circle (especially when its patrolling radius is, at best, 180 degrees)? Cue running away, though if I stood my ground I might have taken less damage LOL.

Faustian bargains are a dime a dozen; pitchforks are extra.

As in Rapture, the illustrations of how vigors/plasmids work are entertaining vignettes made in a style befitting the historical period. A nice option is how vigors can be upgraded to vary their power in interesting and effective ways. Once again, the gameplay is proving to be an addictive and entertaining element.

I don't know what's worse, floating a capella stages or flying gunships.

The architecture and overall ambience of Columbia might set it squarely in a historical period, but its setting among the clouds is vintage science fiction as are its vessels such as the floating stage (above, top) or gunship (above, bottom). Note the two dimensional smoke that also animates awkwardly, a distraction in an otherwise compelling scene.

Today's Columbia forecast: Partly cloudy with a chance of Armageddon.

As suggested, the overall art design is a marvel even if some details are less than marvelous. The best science fiction has an aire of authenticity despite its subject, and with Rapture and now Columbia, Irrational has created iconic settings that not only faithfully recreate American history but twist it in ways that are awe inspiring.

Ominously, real estate in Columbia is an Open House, minus the buyers.

Interiors, too, have character and likewise inspire with their overall design as well as the complementary items they contain. From the initial church you pass through to the various stores and homes, each benefits from a distinct identity that nonetheless ties in with the general Columbia aesthetic.

Scrapbooks scream warm fuzzies, albeit muffled, underneath a gag.

Some details might have been overlooked by developers, but then there are fascinating ones like this photo left among items on a large table, which could easily be missed by passersby. Seemingly an image of someone shot while sitting in a chair (a harbinger of things to come), it tells its own story of Columbia.

Apparently it doesn't pay to be in business in Columbia, unless that business is stealing.

The honor system referenced in signs around Columbia (see the store above) apparently is not enforced even by shop owners a few feet away. While not entirely unusual in games, there are plenty with context sensitive AI that will react to such thievery. Too bad Infinite is not one of them.

The irony of salt associated with both vigor and heart disease is lost on Columbia residents.

Combat, at least early on, is not too challenging even on the default Normal setting given the glut of ammo and salts (for replenishing vigors). That said, there are moments, especially after Firemen or Crows are introduced, that you might wish you could maintain an inventory of found items for just such occasions.

Things are rarely black and white, unless told via silent film.

Recordings continue to be an effective means of providing a context for the action in Columbia (as it was in Rapture). In Infinite, Kinetoscope kiosks also provide some background information on the floating city. All such materials help inform the gamer's knowledge of Columbia for a fluid in-game narrative.

Irrational confronts racist attitudes in Columbia head-on with an unforgiving portrayal that should disgust. Such unflinching explorations respect grown audiences with mature subject matter and can contribute to more compelling narratives. Indeed, the story of Rapture is one of this medium's best, and Columbia starts out strong.

Rock-paper-scissors is not recommended with the Sky-Hook equipped.

In lieu of true platforming in a setting that practically demands it, the Sky-Hook tool enables quick and easy movement throughout the city via the Sky-Line. It also happens to be a pretty effective melee weapon in a pinch (above). Wielding in combat is simple, though getting the hang of the Sky-Line is more involved.

Visitors to Columbia survive by hook or by crook.

Freight hooks (above) are affixed to the facades of many Columbia buildings and offer an alternate means of traversing the city with one's Sky-Hook. The combination of these and the Sky-Line are, in fact, an effective and practical means of moving around this urban landscape (airscape?) but I still miss the simple pleasures of jumping and climbing.

Joey Lawrence takes to the Sky-Line.

The speed and winding nature of the Sky-Line can be disorienting for the uninitiated, nevermind the controls to consider when riding for the first few times. Though it functions as a kind of on-rails segment whenever you ride, its relatively unique design ensures a breathtaking journey every time.

A sunburst beside a large oil slick, what's the worst that could happen?

Among your options when on the Sky-Line are the abilities to shoot at enemies, strike those approaching in the opposite direction or launch yourself onto foes on the ground. Also, ubiquitous oil slicks are this game's explosive barrels when combined with the Devil's Kiss vigor. Good thing Columbians aren't that fastidious about their oil spills.

Booker quickly learns that "going for the jugular" is not just a metaphor.

When on the ground one of the Sky-Hook's brutal melee options is a finishing move once a foe is momentarily incapacitated. Yes, this tool is the Swiss Army Knife of Columbia. I haven't tried to open bottles with it, but it's pretty effective at opening veins.

Pistol whipped can be done at a distance, too.

Like its predecessors in the BioShock universe, Infinite sports a pretty solid FPS mechanic. Whether taking on foes in a close quarters firefight (above, top) or at range (above, bottom), targeting is fluid but precise and hits are context sensitive so headshots are immediate kills but others will injure and foes will react accordingly.

Of course, foes don't always behave accordingly. Often if you're on the edge of their awareness, they'll suddenly lean into an aggressive posture but only momentarily and you can walk away. Likewise, when they do attack they'll only chase you a relatively short distance before abandoning the pursuit. And yeah, I will run away to save my hide LOL.

Firemen in Columbia are poorly trained to say the least.

For the record, I will high tail it away from Firemen if they get the best of me. These foes create fires with their fireballs instead of putting them out, and a panicked spray and pray response is not recommended, trust me. Likewise for the nasty Crow gentleman later. How they even allowed Booker into the Pinkertons is beyond me!

My problem, among admittedly many others, is I need to spring more traps which I did aplenty in Rapture. An advantage in Rapture is that Big Daddies didn't pester you unless you crossed them, so there was time to scout the terrain and plan a defense. In Columbia, foes will react on sight; besides, traps are secondary options for vigors so play out differently.

Columbia hasn't seen this much carnage since The Rolling Stones.

Speaking of fire and other elemental effects like smoke or water, animations are not entirely convincing. That is to say that they can be adequate, but often appear two dimensional. In fact, I have seen better in several other titles. But again it serves its purpose and in the context of the game as a whole is not a big issue.

Firefights tucker everyone out.

In general, firefights are an entertaining affair given the variety of options at your disposal such as standard firearms and the offensive and defensive capabilities of vigors as well as environmental hazards you can use to your advantage (above, darn those oil spills!). And I'm only at the beginning of the adventure.

Heads, you lose. Period.

Between effective ragdoll physics, context sensitive injury, fiendish vigors and finishing moves, battles can be brutal affairs. Despite some shortcomings, enemy AI so far is competent and at times wages stubbornly decent resistance. Throw in various enemy types all at once and it's enough to keep this Pinkerton agent on his toes.

Booker's office has impressive restorative properties. Shots and shots of them.

In fact, I did die on a few occasions. Taking the criticisms of Rapture's Vita chambers to heart, a respawn likewise replenished some of the enemy's health, and costs the victim some of their hard earned (i.e stolen) cash. Interestingly, falling in an accident such as trying to leap across platforms doesn't count as a death, only as a very stupid move.

Elizabeth will follow your lead. Unless you call her Lizzie.

I encountered Elizabeth at the end of this portion of my journey and the gradual means by which you're introduced to her is a nice reveal. Likewise, her innocence and naivete is a welcome alternative to other games' know-it-alls or wannabe know-it-alls, and sets up an interesting dynamic with Booker.

All in all and despite being a relatively short distance through Booker's journey, I'm not surprised that the art design in general is compelling, the story so far interesting and the gameplay overall is entertaining. Some of the choices or lack of attention to detail are disappointing but thus far do not undermine Irrational's achievement.

Time will tell if Columbia can match Rapture's heights (a tall order for me as the latter is among my top games), but the ingredients are certainly in place for an immersive trek through an interesting, iconic world, one that I'm anxious to return to especially in light of my limited play time, and that is a very good sign.

The Silence Is Deafening

Kyle Wadsworth — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT

There is a nascent movement in our industry led by a few brave women who have my admiration and respect. That is in stark contrast to their male counterparts who, for the most part, have remained conspicuously silent. I'm not talking about the rank and file, of whom more than a few have joined the rising chorus of discontent. My issue is with those men in positions of power in the video game industry. Where are their voices? Where is their outrage?

Women in the industry, whether game characters or professional contributors, long have been objectified by the patriarchal attitudes that seem to dominate corporate culture. Of course, institutionalized sexism is common in many industries but it has a higher profile in entertainment mediums that can perpetuate negative gender stereotypes. The problem is that until recently, the silent majority has allowed such attitudes to fester.

Former Game Informer staff member Meagan Marie, in her clarion call "What would you do if you weren't afraid?", is one of a few who of late have raised their voices against the perception of women as sexual objects whether in our games or in our industry. GIO member Theora Craft likewise issues a powerful statement in her blog "A Survivor's Take on Tomb Raider and the Controversy That Will Not Die." Thankfully, others here and elsewhere have taken up their protest.

These are strong, determined and selfless individuals who are leading the charge for change and we are all of us in their debt. We can only hope to live up to their enviable example. Thankfully the rest of us are not burdened with having to identify the problem, formulate an argument or otherwise take action in a vacuum as they have. The trail has been blazed in impressive fashion and we have only to take up their gauntlet and challenge the status quo.

And as indicated, some have. Regretably, too few. In fact, where are the like-minded, influential men among our industry's elite? Where are their public condemnations of such primitive attitudes and behavior? To read the variety of exposes that have surfaced and confirmation from all quarters of the industry suggests that such stereotyping not only is endemic but in fact epidemic. But to judge by the silence of men, it either doesn't exist or is not a problem.

Why? Their silence suggests that at best they are oblivious to the problem, which given these testamonials and public debates recently would be shockingly disturbing. Worse, they know it exists but they don't think it's a problem, which of course would be upsetting that such notions could still prevail in this day and age. But at worst, they are complicit in the very attitudes and behavior that their female counterparts are decrying so remain silent.

So, what are they waiting for? In the vacuum that is their silence, we can only surmise their motivation. Such speculation only can do more harm, especially when it will be fueled by these testimonials and stereotypes that persist in the industry's products. Of course, I have to believe that most men in the industry are decent, respectable human beings, and we do have plenty of examples of positive female characterizations.

But this does not diminish the rising chorus among women in the industry who are fed up with being treated like objects or portrayed similarly in too many games. Whether anecdotal evidence in the form of such public revelations or empirical when considering some of the fictional portrayals in the marketplace, the problem exists and on a scale that deserves not only the attention of our industry leaders but that demands their voice.

I don't care if the cold calculation of sales numbers gives them pause, or the perceived lack of consequence outside the looming public relations disaster fuels their ambivalence, or their ignorance has shielded their conscience from taking responsibility. I don't care what motivates their continued silence. They have a responsibility as industry leaders to take a stand against such inhumane treatment. More importantly, they have a moral obligation as men.

When confronted with such appalling behavior, we men cannot stand idley by. Nevermind the moral imperative for the greater good of society. We are born of women. We have grandmothers, aunts, sisters and female friends. We have daughters. I have daughters. And I'll be damned if I'm going to sit back and let this self-perpetuating abomination known as sexism continue to harm those I care deepest about or even those I have never met, after all, they are someone else's grandmother, aunt, sister, friend or daughter.

I've been gaming for over 30 years and have no doubt this problem has been festering since the first days. But now, with the testimonials of more and more of our female colleagues, none of us can afford to sit by any longer and allow such archaic and destructive elements continue to do harm. Join me in calling on all men, especially those who wield influence in our industry, to speak up now, lest our continued silence make us further complicit in the abuse of others.

A Glimpse of the Infinite in the New BioShock

Kyle Wadsworth — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 01:00:00 GMT

BioShock ranks among the top two or three games I've ever played, so my anticipation for Irrational Games' newest entry in the franchise was high. I therefore intend to document my journey through Columbia, the setting for BioShock Infinite, like a tourist visiting a favorite destination (and with more than one photo essay).

In the process, I will try to take screenshots that offer a new perspective on familiar settings for those fans who have taken advantage of the glut of media coverage, while likewise trying to avoid spoilers. Still, I do offer a spoiler alert for those images or descriptions that might offer too much detail than readers want.

Oh goody, now I can wash off all that water from the Atlantic storm I was just in!

The first setting is an iconic lighthouse like the one that opens the original game. I don't recall exactly how the presentation compares, however, I did take notice of blurry textures up close and some jagged edges. Also, water animation appeared more two dimensional than not.

The art design in general is solid, with details befitting the Maine coastal setting. And accents with a religious overtone or more threatening context can effectively make one feel like the proverbial fish out of water. I don't know what Ken Levine has against lighthouses, but in the BioShock universe they are effectively creepy gateways.

The Doors' Break On Through (To the Other Side) is stuck in my head, like this door.

One surprising glitch early on was being able to pass through the wood of a door to the lighthouse (above). Of course it doesn't impact gameplay and is a relatively minor quibble, but for a game so reliant on immersion and atmosphere, such a glaring collision detection issue was jarring.

Little known fact: Turn of the century nightlights used uranium, though not for long.

Among the gameplay options, I believe, is turning off item indicators and other in-game notifications. Given the blinding glare coming off this object (above), that might be an option I consider. It's interesting, though, how some of the same items (like silver coins) had a glint in some areas but not others, irrespective of lighting.

I wish I had faux money to keep in my faux drawers ...

Settings are well designed with the kinds of items one might expect from the early 1900s, though textures unfortunately can lack detail when viewed close up. Of course this is not atypical even for current gen games such as id Software's Rage (which the above reminds me of), but plenty of titles manage more meticulous composition.

He began to regret that his wife had to row to the mainland for the Band-Aids he forgot to pickup.

BioShock's Rapture was an iconic setting filled with beauty and horror, but in BioShock Infinite the developer doesn't wait till gamers progress to Columbia to add some shock value. Irrational Games has proven themselves adept at establishing atmosphere and this title continues that tradition.

Puzzles appear early and while this one was overly simplified it hopefully is a sign of more to come. (The symbols actually are recurrent and tie in with Columbia iconography.) Indeed, I earlier spent time studying a map and schedule in anticipation of possible puzzles later. I do hope there are some hacking games similar to those in the first title.

As in BioShock, the first glimpse of Columbia is an awe-inspiring image. One can only hope that Irrational has succeeded in creating a setting as well conceived and ultimately iconic as Rapture, which was arguably the strongest character in a game filled with memorable figures.

Behold, Comstock Candles! Follow the light to savings, at a store near you.

It's fitting that religious elements are so prominent in a setting among the clouds. Contrasting games, I find it interesting how one descends to Rapture where men rule, but ascends to Columbia (from practically the same lighthouse) where God figures more prominently. Of course, both are seemingly doomed by human frailties.

I don't think it's coincidental that on the way to Rapture (even in the lighthouse if I remember) one confronts at least one statue honoring chief architect Andrew Ryan, whereas on the way into Columbia images of reputed prophet Zachary Hale Comstock greet visitors, both influential men in their respective settings.

Someone forgot to turn off the baptismal font again.

The initial setting in Columbia is a kind of church and from the ubiquitous candles and stained glass to the pews, altars and statues, the design is effectively evocative. But what elevates the design is the layer of water underfoot (above, top) and the hymns that resound throughout the building.

While animation of the Atlantic ocean could seem two dimensional especially when splashing or surging against rocks, the water in the church ripples convincingly and has superior reflective qualities. The effect is sublime. And the choir adds a dimension of depth and contemplative mood wholly befitting the surroundings.

Ted hoped to one day overcome his misfortune as a Columbia care package teddy bear.

Like the buoys, fishing nets and lobster traps found in and around the Maine lighthouse, items in the temple convincingly depict their setting whether the church in particular or early 1900s Americana in general (above). These accents help inform the world of Columbia and can obscure the sometimes rough textures.

The water inside the church not only is a compelling aesthetic but of course has significant religious symbolism especially as a purifying agent. The fact that it also is reminiscent of the leaky underwater setting for Rapture is just icing on a richly designed cake.

A word of note: I think it's the dialog in this scene (above), delivered in the manner of a sermon, that not only reinforces the importance of religion in Columbia but hints at the stereotypes and xenophobia that reportedly permeate the city. It also suggests a possible cult of personality around Comstock.

Penny for your thoughts? And your soul! Mwwahahaha!

The fact that one has to be baptised in order to enter Columbia helps illustrate the degree to which religion is a part of Columbia life. That the scene above reminds me of the film Dark City either is the result of an overactive imagination or a conscious choice to instill a sense of dread in gamers.

"Please, oh please help us fix our Clapper."

The church is an interesting mix of inspired spiritual setting and at times oppressive environment, no doubt setting the stage for the reportedly complex and controversial issues that inform the narrative. This is not unfamiliar ground for Levin and company, who have demonstrated their acumen when weaving interesting, thoughtful stories.

This hummingbird considers poking awake the man in the distance. Never trust a BioShock bird.

At arm's length details do help establish a palpable sense of place. With creative design, impressive scale, a vibrant color palette and inspired locales, Irrational Games continues to solidify its legacy as a studio that raises the bar when it comes to creating vivid virtual worlds.

I've barely scratched the surface of Columbia, but despite minor superficial problems BioShock Infinite's compelling settings and overall imaginative art design beckon me to plunge further into Booker's (and Elizabeth's) story. And if it's anything like Rapture, the overall package including story and gameplay should create a memorable experience.

Charting Lara's Past, Present & Future

Kyle Wadsworth — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 15:00:00 GMT

The more I play Tomb Raider, the more I notice two things: Where it can be perfected, and how it's a nearly perfect homage to the original game. Admittedly still early in my play through, at a little over 15% complete, I think it's a pretty safe bet to predict that the inevitable sequel could very well be the best game in the series.

Too early? Consider that developer Crystal Dynamics not only has improved upon the license in key areas, but Lara Croft can now hit the ground running in the next installment having presumably dispelled with the origin story. Think of the first sequel in nearly any superhero series, though let's hope she doesn't lose her newfound vulnerability and relatability.

Here I'll continue using my screenshots and analysis to demonstrate how this version can provide a bridge between its predecessors and its successors, and in the meantime how it appears to be an excellent addition to the action adventure genre. (Spoiler alert, though I reveal little plot and not much more that hasn't been reported extensively already.)

Lara's transformative moment, when she first kills an assailant, is a powerful sequence that demonstrates the extent to which she was pushed to do the unimaginable. Her travails till now have shown the toll taken on this young explorer, culminating in this scene of great person trial.

It typifies this new vulnerable, real Lara, effectively separating her from the iconic legend she had become. The scene also is indicative of the new approach adopted by Crystal Dynamics, focusing more on character development and story than on action set pieces alone. And it successfully invests each player in Lara's journey.

The challenge is in maintaining this more fragile personae going forward and, indeed, others have pointed out a certain disconnect at times with the more lethal Lara that exists beyond this point. However, that path is not impossible to judge by series like Uncharted, wherein Nathan Drake never ceases to be a flawed common man doing uncommon things.

A dedicated guard, he'd never let the cliff out of his sight.

As lethal as Lara becomes, the gameplay can sometimes hold her back. In one sequence (above), Lara crouches behind one of the only sources of nearby cover before attempting to silently take out her foes. The problem, as exists sometimes in shooter games, is that an invisible barrier surrounds the object.

Instead of quickly taking out her oblivious quarry, the arrows hit air and fall to the ground. This arouses the guards' suspicion, and they soon notice the threat and nearly kill Lara. It's not an uncommon fault with games, but it still takes one out of the game and can result in a cheap death. Thankfully, most encounters thus far are fun and problem free.

Adding insult to injury, Lara behaved like he wasn't even there.

The aftermath of this assault (above) also demonstrates some poor collision detection issues with corpses in general. When Lara isn't kicking them around while walking a la Gears of War, she passes right through them. Again, it's not uncommon to the medium, but more care would improve immersion. Happily, it's less an issue with objects or the environment.

Such technical snafus are joined by a peculiar graphics glitch seen now and then, particularly in plants that disappear once you've salvaged them but sometimes in inanimate objects (such as the stone surface above, center). There is a kind of lattice patchwork, or pixelated veneer, that flashes across some textures.

In my limited play through so far, these still are relatively minor issues with the possible exception of the one gameplay problem related to invisible barriers. A little more polish certainly would have benefitted the game but its absence does not detract from the overall impression of a well conceived and executed action adventure title.

Guns eventually do appear as available weapons and in fact encompass a standard range of firearm options. That said, these are not your grandma Lara's handguns. Forget default pistols with infinite ammo; these weapons are upgradeable and reliant on found bullets, another feature that can help make Ms. Croft more fragile -- and human.

Salvaging is a form of loot grinding that adds a welcome role playing element to character development. So Lara is not only more relatable as a figure with real emotion, mental struggles and physical limitations, but players become more invested in her the more time they spend customizing her character according to their gameplay preferences.

All this helps make Lara more accessible than before. To that end, I don't know if one can max out her character's attributes by game's end, but if not than it would be nice to carryover one's unique character to subsequent releases as with Mass Effect's Commander Shepherd.

Indeed, impactful choices also would help craft a personally meaningful character. I have not heard of or experienced opportunities in the game for electing one dialog or gameplay path over another, but in my experience such divergent alternatives can only enrich the journey.

My memory of the original game involved the joy of discovery. Finding long-forgotten subterranean or otherwise hidden and expansive ruins scratched that adventure itch. The old and sometimes ancient towns or ruins among this island's landscape can be awe-inspiring, but early on, at least, they can have a lived in and sometimes derivative feel.

The wolves are real QTEs.

Wild animals were an ever present danger in the original Tomb Raider games and this reboot is no exception. Though I haven't encountered any ubiquitous bears or tigers yet (let alone dinosaurs!), wolves are a nettlesome predator. Fighting them is a panicked thrill that can lead to a gruesome end if not adept enough.

Indeed my reaction falls into one of two camps: A spray and pray arrow barrage or calm and collected target selection. The latter was in reaction to the failure of the former but, regretably, often results in the same ignominious death. I then settled on a third approach: Run away, fire from a distance, dodge, run, fire, dodge, repeat.

Must be a Motel 6 (they DID leave the light on).

Ziplines provide one means of movement and, frankly, a welcome one when traversing areas with multiple elevations. Despite the familiarity of some settings, they all benefit not only from a creative art design but also from crafty level design that demands deft platforming skills to explore.

If Lara had to hear how he threw the winning touchdown one more time ...

Lara is not the only three dimensional character as some others also benefit from depth, and their interactions together as depicted in cutscenes, found notes and radio communications have an air of authenticity. Believable dialog and voice acting help, establishing a hopeful trend for future installments.

Just like climbing the health club rock wall.

The game gradually builds upon Lara's navigation skills as she periodically takes advantage of new abilities or tools. The climbing axe, for instance, opens up previously inaccessible areas whether at higher elevations or behind closed doors. Of course such tools have the ability to open up gameplay considerably and therefore are much appreciated.

A wise archeologist, Lara still couldn't discern stalagmites from stalactites.

Lara discovers Wayne's World.

Exploring tombs has been the bread and butter of the series, especially in earlier titles of the franchise. They therefore were often expansive, elaborate settings with clever and compelling design. While exploration has slowly moved outdoors, tombs are still a linchpin common to every entry.

In this reboot, I have encountered maybe three tombs after more than 15% completion. Each is enjoyable in their own right, however, I assume such areas will increase in size and complexity the further I explore the island. For now, they are fairly linear and short, more reminiscent of the kinds of ruins in Far Cry 3 than traditional Tomb Raider sites.

What is likewise noteworthy is how each location has been taken over by the island's inhabitants, either with construction or other signs of their presence. This fact might be a reasonable expectation, however, it can detract from the joy of discovering a previously unknown, long-abandoned location.

In a contemplative mood, Lara reconsiders her chosen profession.

The exterior settings themselves are an admittedly impressive mix of small and large areas, exteriors and interiors, and various elevations. They are well balanced areas that take full advantage of Lara's platforming skills and, at least in the beginning, provide a quality alternative to traditional tomb exploration.

Who doesn't know the magic word? Lara wondered.

Heads, I win.

There's no shortage of combat though Crystal Dynamics does a good job balancing the game's pacing between exploration and action. Likewise, melee or ranged options are fairly well balanced, especially when the former employs the climbing axe, for fights that can be taut and entertaining. Dodges and shoves prove worthwhile defensive moves.

Along those lines, it's gratifying to see a variety of foes, even this early in the game, that use a variety of tactics, whether relying on ranged attacks or charging for brutal melee assaults. I'd also recently encountered a heavier class foe, who uses a shield. In general the AI is pretty standard, moving between cover and using grenades to flush Lara out.

Speaking of Lara, her character can take cover, emerging briefly to fire at foes. Targeting is precise and all weapons to this point handle well. It's also easy to switch weapons on the fly by using the directional keypad (on the PS3). The bow and arrow proves reliable in ranged attacks that can silently take out numerous foes; the axe is its brutal close quarters counterpart.

All this of course represents a marked improvement over Lara's past cartwheeling ways. Gone are her acrobatic skillset and infinite ammo pistols in place of more realistic options when confronting the various threats on the island. Though she benefits from now-standard health regeneration, her actions are rooted more in real world considerations than fantasy.

Even the best explorers forget where they left their keys.

Movement in the game is fluid, alternating between player controlled action and scripted sequences whether experiencing dramatic moments or passing obstacles in Lara's path. Also, navigation through the environment gradually deepens as new options for exploration are periodically introduced.

Though she knew better, Lara hoped a taco truck would soon appear.

Environments not only impress from a design perspective, even if sometimes reminiscent of settings in other games, but inspire with their array of platforming opportunities. Indeed, level design practically begged for the ability to shoot rope across otherwise impassable areas, and eventually Lara attains this ability.

Such gameplay offers a welcome and too rare feature, expanding upon Lara's growing platforming skillset. Considering the depth of her moves, whether exploring or engaged in combat, and the ability to upgrade them as seen fit, Crystal Dynamics has wisely made Lara more three dimensional and placed a degree of her development in the hands of gamers.

Why waste a good climbing axe when a fist sends the same message?

Necessity is the mother of invention and Lara no doubt is compelled to become a formidable warrior, though her newfound ability to cut a swath through scores of hardened foes does stretch credulity as others have suggested. Still, the narrative does provide a context for such an evolution and her victories can be hard fought.

To this point, Lara could only shove foes away. The addition of the climbing axe made melee combat a viable option. However, dodge is still an important feature as foes can interrupt Lara's attacks and strike back. But successive blows will stun enemies long enough for a finishing move. More options such as parry will help deepen this alternative.

I'm hopeful later tombs will be more elaborate in layout and design, carrying on the series' considerable legacy in this regard. Up till now they have been creative and well detailed if short and linear. The simple Hall of Ascension puzzle (above) even gave me fits with its exacting timing, though I know more challenging ones follow.

They weren't kidding about leaving the mattress tag on.

How nice of them to leave the welcome mat out.

I knew from trailers and other media that some interesting elements would be incorporated into the game, but still was gratified at their appearance and implementation to this point. Indeed, the surreal settings and fantasy motifs cleverly pay homage to the original game(s), which likewise invoked the potential for otherworldly consequences linked to lost artifacts.

That said, the suggested context for these elements is a well worn concept and can come across as merely derivative if mishandled. However, the backstory as revealed in found documents is well written and narrated, and the story in general is a compelling treatment that succeeds in fostering and so far maintaining interest.

Nevermind that exploring these elements in the game world is an entertaining journey in its own right and suggestive of the survival horror genre. Indeed, I decided to throw caution to the wind and follow a foe instead of continue in the opposite direction (second image in the series above). Lara was predictably squished.

I didn't say, "Simon says ...!"

Even when exploring, Lara is not immune to attack. Foes inhabit most areas, so vigilance is necessary. And as in the case with heavier enemies like shielded foes, lighter enemies remain part of the mix so adjusting one's strategy on the fly is important. Likewise, one should stay alert for quick time events that can occur in virtually any cut scene.

The bottom line is that this is an action adventure game that emphasizes both facets of that label. Combat and exploration both demand careful observation and quick reflexes and take advantage of myriad moves and upgradeable skillsets. In fact, movement is key to Crystal Dynamics' reboot.

I think I smell Starbucks.

The one thing I wish so far in my playthrough was that more moves were available from the very start of the game. However, they do emerge in a reasonable progression as one plays the game, and fast travel allows for returning to earlier levels that might have had previously inaccessible areas.

It's a credit to what Crystal Dynamics has accomplished that I want to have had more time to access all Lara's moves. But they deserve kudos for also reinventing the main character, creating someone we care about and want to spend more time with. The challenge going forward (in my play through and likely future installments) is keeping Lara grounded.

The natural impulse would be to up the ante by creating more elaborate stories and action to take full advantage of all her abilities, but in so doing there is a risk in approaching the iconic legend that this reboot so successfully avoids to this point. That said, Tomb Raider finds the right balance of homage and reinvention and is better for it.

Mojomonkey12 Is Pod People & Other Tales From the Alien Invasion

Kyle Wadsworth — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 01:00:00 GMT

A funny thing happened on the way to the alien invasion. This strategy game neophyte ended up enjoying my extraterrestrial visitation in the form of Firaxis Games' XCOM: Enemy Unknown. Whether playing the solo campaign or online in competitive multiplayer, the game has proven accessible without sacrificing depth.

There is only one other strategy game that I've had fun playing, and that was Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution. So it should come as no surprise that it shares the same developer and publisher (2K Games) as XCOM. Firaxis is developing a reputation for making strategic gameplay feel like a walk in the park, albeit one with enemies behind every tree.

Squads of the Extraterrestrial Combat Unit never argue about asking directions.

This is no small feat, as I typically prefer real time combat to turn-based battles that tend to be too slow, methodical and, frankly, complicated. The height of attack strategy for me is deciding whether to equip fireballs in one hand or a shield. Plasmids or Biotics are a happy stretch but that's where I draw the line.

Firaxis typically finds a happy medium. In XCOM, gamers have myriad choices both on and off the battlefield, but they don't overwhelm and tutorial elements ease you into each facet of the game. For instance, combat basics are introduced early on, such as point to point movement (above). Simple controls and visual cues help in every choice.

Even more perplexing, he had a hankering for a nice spaghetti with marinara sauce.

The next manual would warn against approaching armed comrades with glowing blue heads.

While the deep gameplay provides the raison d'etre for XCOM, elaborate cut scenes frame the action set pieces with a compelling story of alien invasion. It's not The Day the Earth Stood Still, but the overall narrative, tension and quality production values make for a solid context to the elaborate action.

And whether due to the scope of the action or the premise for it, the choice of a more stylized presentation fits well with the atmosphere of the game. It's neither the pulp treatment of the amusing Destroy All Humans or the more realistic portrayal of countless shooters, and that's to its benefit. Still, the design is top notch whether cut scenes or in-game action.

From the colorful palette to the detailed animation and particle effects, from the thoughtful level design to the intricate environments, and from quality dialog to decent voice acting, many elements are here for an engrossing playthrough. Even the helpful heads up display is unobtrusive despite the level of detail. My one real caveat is a sometimes odd camera angle.

Boy will that alien be sorry if he shoots these explosive drums beside me!

There are a lot of options when it comes to the gameplay, though squad members are typically limited to one move per turn. I don't recall the names for all options, but they can include repositioning, shooting, fragging, reloading, etc. It plays like a less precise, though effective, alternative to Fallout 3's VATS (Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System).

As a lifelong shooter fan, I enjoy the third person shooting mechanic despite the indirect squad control as opposed to direct first or third person control common to the shooter genre. Like VATS, it displays probabilities for regular and critical hits. If chosen, a brief cinematic will show the outcome of your decision.

Kojima is anxious to prove he doesn't always shy away from combat.

Grenades or rocket launchers are among other potent weapons in one's arsenal. But tactics such as Overwatch or Hunker Down, if I remember, are equally viable. Maintaining a keen situational awareness when in the theater of operations, and exercising careful tactics, is imperative if hoping to have one's squad return victorious -- and intact.

Overhead is high so XCOM will have to bide its time before walls can be erected.

She's actually playing Galaga on her tablet, and doesn't appear to be faring any better than her comrades.

In between deployments, a central hub serves as a portal to management tasks that involve research, engineering, etc. Research, for instance, will require allocating resources for the study and development of materials that could aid in the war effort. How you choose to direct those efforts is up to you, as is the case with other management tasks.

Veterans of the video game Defender are among the top recruits. Though how one can lose a giant the size of New England is beyond me.

Deployment to hot zones is one of the more challenging choices one has to make. Panic will be reduced or at least contained in the zone you choose, but it's at the expense of greater panic in the zone you neglect. Plus you'll have to weigh which zone's resources are more valuable to your effort.

Sequestration results in Nerf armor for squaddies, who don't last long in the field. Sorry Brian!

Barracks are also available from the central hub, and here one can customize squads. The character creation tool is relatively limited, but at least allows some differentiation among squad members. Also selectable are character class (mostly standard choices), loadout and abilities (I believe these can use alien tech for more welcome variation).

All in all, it's a fairly broad suite of choices that further help budding Sun Tzus weigh the options that best reflect their gameplay style as well as mission objectives and each unfolding scenario as it develops. It should be noted that navigating the various menus in this game is a fairly intuitive and user friendly process.

To hell with camouflage when your hair can look this good on the front lines!

My Fantastic Four out of the gate (above). L-R Brian Seavey, Rich Dickinson, Emily Wargo and Jeremy Brown. The only difference is they don't need gamma rays to kick alien behinds. I frankly can't remember if they've been on a mission together yet, but their mere presence might be enough to convince the alien menace to turn tail.

In fact, to this point in the game I'd only played through to where the demo ended. If you haven't sampled the game or demo yet, I highly recommend you try the latter as it seems to provide a good introduction to what XCOM has to offer. Indeed it was on the strength of the demo, and word of mouth, that I bought the game.

Eric Hernandez was a grade school classmate. Now he's laser cannon fodder. That's, like, totally awesome!

I also managed to play a couple multiplayer rounds with Jeremy (mojomonkey12/jmb78). I use "play" loosely, as both he and I were pretty rusty having not played the campaign in awhile. And I use "rusty" loosely, as our gameplay can more accurately be described as corrosive.

The rules of war are obsolete, as my impatient squad members demonstrate.

While the game is relatively accessible, there is a learning curve given the breadth and depth of options available. Cycling between squad members and options related to the overhead isometric view (related to actions like move, attack, reload, overwatch and hunker down) and the behind the back view (related to attacks like firing or fragging) can be disorienting.

I initially confronted macro issues like selecting the proper squad member or positioning the camera to a practical viewpoint, while Jeremy faced micro issues such as selecting and implementing the proper action. Our initial battle in particular was more with learning the control scheme than with each other, though this was less a factor of design than unfamiliarity.

I like that boom boom pow.

The match itself was fairly well set up, with an open map that afforded various paths and cover along the way. We both had squads of six, I believe, and could choose from several character classes. I can't speak for Jeremy's alien horde, but human classes were fairly standard though augmented by some other worldly tech I think. Much like in the campaign.

Indeed for the most part I think it played out like the solo story mode. At least in my limited playthrough I didn't notice any appreciable differences between offline and online gameplay. That said, the parameters of custom matches can be tweaked to one's liking. In that regard, I'd chosen 120 seconds per turn, which didn't afford much time for strategizing.

For instance, I had a few different character classes, but only had enough time to figure out what basic actions I wanted each of the six squad members to take irrespective of their class. However, it did keep the match moving at a decent pace. So finding that comfortable balance between strategy and action might take some further finessing.

This might sting a little.

The first match proved more of a tutorial as we familiarized ourselves with the control setup. That led to a few face to face meetings (above) while we figured out how to dispatch each other. At least in this scenario, we were obliged to kill each other, unlike in our co-op games where teamkills are the order of the day.

Thank goodness we secured the bar for our posterity. A toast!

One caveat to the complex but generally well designed online matches is that in both the maps we played, we were unceremoniously kicked out of our game when selecting "continue" and back to the main multiplayer page if I recall. It was annoying to have to set up a custom match and send out an invite for each map we played.

Sometimes, a property being turnkey has its disadvantages.

As mentioned, the camera is a mixed bag. Generally, it provides helpful perspectives for combat, though sometimes it can obscure the action especially during an opponent's turn. The initial isometric view allows you to see your squad without giving away enemy movements until they enter your line of sight. Breakaway facades help with that process.

However, if trying to follow the action as a spectator, the results are less precise. sometimes the camera will focus on one squad member and in a direction that hides activity. When trying to correct, it is a challenge to easily control. Of course with practice its manipulation can only improve but at least initially it can frustrate at times.

Aliens quickly found that feeding pigeons can wait till a more opportune time.

I think Overwatch is the move I used that most bedeviled Jeremy. When chosen, the respective squad member will observe the battlefield for signs of alien activity. As soon as a foe comes into view, the squad member will fire. This means that during your opponent's turn, their squad can still take damage. This proved to be a very useful tool.

We got the beat that bounce. We got the beat that pow.

Why night vision goggles are not recommended when exposed to alien pyrotechnics.

In the interest of full disclosure, Jeremy did take out some of my squad members (above), especially when we settled into using the game's controls. I just wasn't fast enough with my screenshots to recognize the imminent demise of my troops. Indeed despite our best efforts to prove otherwise, I think the squads are fairly evenly matched.

Floater 3, still upset over his ignominious title, didn't put up much of a fight and was flushed from his position.

We didn't take advantage of the more unusual abilities afforded some squad members, but on one occasion I did attempt to control one of the alien drones. To his credit, Jeremy spotted this tactic and during his subsequent turn first took out his mind controlled squadmate. But such abilities should make for a much more dynamic competition.

If aliens learned anything from us, it's how to take a dive.

Toward the end of our second match, Jeremy put up a pretty good fight when faced with superior numbers, I think taking out a couple of my squad members before succumbing to injuries. All in all, I look forward to playing XCOM's competitive multiplayer more. With practice, it should provide a nice alternative to other multiplayer options on the market.

Likewise, the single player campaign promises to be a strong mode in and of itself. Take it from an avowed non-strategy gamer, Firaxis knows how to make accessible, entertaining strategy titles whether XCOM or Civilization Revolution. But don't just take my word for it, read others' blogs on the former (like Noobtubin8er's), which are plentiful.

In closing, read about the game, play the demo, and decide for yourself. In the meantime, I hope to spend more time battling the pod people and, if you already are playing (on PS3), look me up and we can mix it up intergalactic style.

Reimagining Lara Croft

Kyle Wadsworth — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 16:00:00 GMT

Lara Croft is a beloved icon in the world of entertainment, though more for what she represents to the medium than any other element of her legacy. But the sense of exploration and adventure that her exploits redefined have since been eclipsed, leaving this trailblazing franchise struggling to regain its footing.

What changed? In general, her audience and, by extension, the industry. We've matured and while that growth was recognized by some, Tomb Raider seemed by comparison to be stuck in the past. Granted, the grid based action of early titles in the series had been replaced, controls became more precise and camera angles improved.

However, challengers such as Naughty Dog's Uncharted have introduced mature, complex characters and compelling storylines to go along with modern, fluid platforming and combat within elaborate set pieces and dynamic scripted events. Crystal Dynamics' new reboot looks to pick up the gauntlet.

My own challenge will be in trying to convey the extent to which the developer has succeeded in that regard based on my own early impressions, and in a manner that will differentiate it from the glut of commentary since release of the game's early gameplay at least as far back as last year's E3.

I'm hopeful my typical phlog will provide some good examples of elements that stood out to me this early in the game and might be harbingers of things to come. To begin, the opening scene (above) of Lara's ill-fated ocean voyage is illustrated with quality production values and direction.

As with later cut scenes, the graphics are detailed, action is well choreographed and accented by dynamic camera angles and edits, and sound is rich and complex. The scene is as thrilling as any action film but, more importantly, establishes a dramatic, perilous storyline.

As you no doubt are aware, this reboot charts Lara's emergence as an artifact hunter, and in the process promises to place her development back on track with a mature character befitting her longtime fans' growth and expectations. Indeed, her character's survival in-game is a metaphor for whether this icon can survive in a genre that has outgrown her.

Crystal Dynamics has gone to great lengths to depict her painstaking maturation as a character in a well documented path to self-confidence and self-sufficiency. Part of her path involves confronting the evils on the island she's washed ashore on, which are creatively and graphically depicted (above).

But the plot is mere vehicle to her personal growth. After all, without such dire circumstances to challenge her physically, spiritually and emotionally, Lara can't convincingly evolve into the heroine we have known from Day 1. Therefore, her bloody, breathless journey is carefully crafted every painful step of the way.

Environments have always been integral to the Tomb Raider experience and in this regard the level design impeccably establishes a palpable sense of place. In the context of such an immersive setting, Lara's development has greater resonance. Her surroundings are impressively detailed, including convincing water and fire animation (above).

Level design in general continues one of the franchise's strong suits. Exploration is the basis for gameplay, and while early on, at least, the path is strictly linear, it nonetheless is supported by creative features, often highly detailed textures, believable scripted sequences and basic environmental puzzles.

Playing on the normal difficulty setting (on PS3), there is more than a little hand holding early on in the form of contextual button icons that appear onscreen and other in-game cues, however, I assume such assists will disappear once the tutorial segment is over. Otherwise, exploration and puzzle solving could be undermined.

In some cases, contextual button icons are a necessary element such as when playing through interactive scripted sequences that involve quick time events. It's true that QTEs are part of Tomb Raider's gameplay but, if early action is any indication, they are a more common feature than I would have guessed.

On more than one occasion early on, Lara has to fight off a pursuer (above). I took too long while establishing a screenshot and was unceremoniously crushed by a boulder in the collapsing tunnel. When successful, your pursuer faces a similar fate. Either way, the game -- to its credit -- doesn't shy away from the consequences.

Thankfully, even when one flubs the timed button presses that accompany such notorious sequences, frustration is kept to a minimum as there are generous checkpoints and load screens are relatively brief. On the other hand, Tomb Raider's QTEs utilize seemingly every button so a keen eye and deft coordination are necessary.

Part of such scripted sequences are dynamic camera angles and animation designed to heighten the tension and add dramatic flair (above). Frankly, the developer does a good job not only of achieving this goal but of having such moments be seamless and unobtrusive. They are at least on par with similar moments in other top tier games.

As with the game's cut scenes, the action in QTEs is well choregraphed for suspenseful sequences that alternate between tense footage and frantic button presses. Though numerous, such interactive moments are well spaced so as not to overwhelm but do demand that you stay engrossed in the action (as if any such encouragement was needed).

The presentation is indeed top notch whether detailed textures, smooth animation, a deep color palette, various ambient noises, quality lighting, score, dialog or voice acting. In general, I could not find much to fault in any area to this point in my playthrough.

Minor issues do appear from time to time, such as water that splashes or sometimes flows in peculiar ways or how Lara's ponytail blows stiffly in the wind (see some images here for examples). More playtime might reveal more egregious issues but thus far they are insignificant.

Effective platforming is necessary for the franchise to remain competitive and thankfully the controls in this regard have been streamlined over time to culminate in the fluid actions of Lara's character in this reboot. Navigating the environment often is intuitive, with relatively seamless transitions from one action to another.

It's interesting to me that seeing the challenge presented by this suspended plane (above) reminded me first of the Uncharted series. While others have implemented such platforming puzzles, Naughty Dog's franchise has done it so well and memorably that Nathan Drake's adventures are top of mind.

That said, this sequence is well implemented and serves to help familiarize gamers with the controls necessary to navigate such an environmental obstacle. The fact that it compares favorably with Uncharted in this regard speaks to how well Crystal Dynamics has learned from the competition.

Simply climbing up a wall is a more dynamic exercise than merely jumping to its top edge, as the game prompts you to press the action button a second time when in the midst of the climb in order to propel your character the rest of the way up taller obstacles (above). Like a double jump, this act adds layers to exploration.

The segment of the game (above) where Lara is searching for shelter from the elements highlights some environmental features that help establish a great sense of place. Once the wind kicks up, trees and branches move independently. Water drops convincingly on Lara, and steam escapes her lips with each exhale. It's all a study in quality animation.

That attention to detail reminds me of other games that shared such meticulous devotion, especially with regard to how foliage is depicted. In Two Worlds 2, when walking through tall grass or other plants, they would move or flatten in relation to your steps. Likewise in Dragon's Dogma, trees all swayed convincingly. Tomb Raider keeps good company in this regard.

The character models, whether in-game (above, top) or in cut scenes (above, bottom), are well conceived and expressive, especially in Lara's case, conveying all the emotion such a traumatic event as her shipwreck can have on someone left to fend for themselves in an inhospitable -- and sometimes hostile -- environment.

Likewise, animation and voice acting thus far faithfully depict the trauma of her experience as she limps, otherwise struggles, or shivers along her journey, and her voice quakes with fear, uncertainty, self doubt and desperation, though even now faint signs of determination and inner strength show through at times.

Hunting (above) helps vary the gameplay from the platforming and basic navigation that appear initially. It also suggests a possible option for the inevitable combat you'll encounter. Thankfully, using a bow and arrow is intuitive and easy to pull off in quick succession as your stalwart prey can require.

This reboot features role playing features such as upgradeable skills. For someone like me who appreciated the opportunity to shape my character and her abilities according to my own gameplay preferences, this element is a welcome addition. However, I wish some skills like retrieving spent arrows (above) were available by default as in other titles.

That's as far as I've gotten in the game to date. Although what I've played has been covered elsewhere, the opportunity to finally play it myself and see the final retail build leaves me encouraged by the direction Crystal Dynamics has taken. A reboot was necessary in retrospect, as Lara had to be reinvented to appeal to the more mature sensibilities of longtime fans.

To that end, her character is unquestionably more realistic and is given an opportunity to grow on us and develop into a more lifelike and relatable individual compared to the legendary fantasy that this icon became. It's a bold move but one that early gameplay suggests was the right one; however, is the gameplay true to the franchise?

Some complain that this reboot borrows too liberally from more successful competitors as far as gameplay is concerned. However, if one considers that the developers are simply incorporating mostly proven mechanics to the gameplay mix, the move makes sense. I'm hoping the rest of the game likewise proves that the endeavor was indeed worthwhile.

For those who didn't preorder Amazon's Tomb Raider: The Final Hours Edition, I thought I'd include screenshots of some of the concept art published in the accompanying art book. Given the standard retail price, I appreciated the addition of this product, which reminded me of the Destroyed Beauty artbook that came with the Gears of War collectors/special edition.

The hardcover book is slightly longer than the PS3 game case, and features several pages of colorful artwork that contributed to the game's design. As I've only just begun the game, many of the illustrations offer a peek at potential future locales, such as the Petra-like edifice (above, left) or the giant figure reminiscent of the Buddhas of Bamiyan (above, right).

More modern environments and hazards mix with more ancient settings to seemingly vary gameplay during the reported 10 to 12 hours of the campaign. Provided Crystal Dynamics can achieve the right balance between old and new, this could help make the experience deeper and richer than otherwise.

The shipwreck graveyard on the stormy coast is one of the first settings of note and helps establish the character of the island to an extent as well as the game's foreboding atmosphere. This illustration (above) no doubt helped developers capture these elements for the game (see earlier screenshots).

Some artwork can't help but remind gamers of similar settings such as the somewhat common Himalayan/Tibetan motif, though filtered through the distinct imagination of the respective artists.

Lara sets her sights not only on Nathan Drake, but on Katniss Everdeen as well.

Character models are lavishly illustrated in these photorealistic illustrations. The characters shown are a refreshingly diverse mix of men and women. In the beginning, they appear in brief cut scenes, but it will be interesting to see how their characters are integrated later on, and how their models animate when, presumably, featured more prominently.

All in all, a nice package and a game that I am very much looking forward to playing more. As a longtime fan, this is a compelling, and necessary, reboot that hopefully manages to properly reinvent Lara Croft while staying true to the franchise's deft combination of exploration, platforming and combat.

A Cat-and-Mouse Alternative to Run-and-Gun

Kyle Wadsworth — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 16:00:00 GMT

When trying to convince a friend to play Sniper Elite V2, he worried that the game would be too slow. Ironically I consider that its greatest strength. The tactical gameplay rewards a more cautious approach than is common to many first person shooters, especially when playing against real opponents online.

Of course my friend's sentiment is shared by many fans of the genre who prefer the run and gun gameplay common to FPS competitive multiplayer. Indeed, I'd ranked up in Call of Duty: World at War and Modern Warfare 2, Battlefield: Bad Company and Killzone 2. But I've tired of the formula with each new sequel.

It's no exaggeration to say that Rebellion's reboot of its last gen Sniper Elite game goes a long way to restoring my faith in FPS multiplayer gameplay. The campaign itself was entertaining, especially when played cooperatively; but playing Deathmatch feels like a revelation in the multiplayer arena.

Rebellion has the sniping mechanic down pat. This is no small feat as many have tried but few have implemented as deep or rewarding a feature considering the variety of factors the developer has included that can impact this gameplay element alone. (See links above for more details.)

As in the campaign, there are a few difficulty settings that relate to sniping as well as other aspects of gameplay. I prefer the Marksman setting, which uses bullet drop and breathing as factors when shooting. Other settings include game mode, map, time and score limits, damage, weapons and private or public slots.

I've been playing with our own Jeremy Brown/mojomonkey12, my regular co-op buddy and all around super nice guy. That said, I won't hesitate to pull the trigger when he's in my crosshairs! Especially given his tendency to teamkill me or draw me into an ill-advised firefight. (You knew that was coming, Jeremy!)

We've sampled all the maps (Quarry, Graves, Opernplatz, Church, Kreuzberg and Beach?), and each one is exceptionally designed and one reason multiplayer is a joy to play. For the record, we played on the PS3, where multiplayer is free DLC.

The map shown above is a more open design than others, however, there is a lot of cover in the form of partially collapsed homes in this village setting, with a few multistory buildings spread out for better vantage points. With two players, the maps are expansive, covering a lot of ground.

At one point, I saw Jeremy in the room below the bell tower, but he stayed on the move, forcing me to abandon my position in search for him. Contrary to the concerns expressed by my friend at the outset of this blog, the game is not too slow and does not necessarily reward camping.

Yes, it is relatively slower than many of its genre counterparts but, as in the campaign, sniping in one spot indefinitely will lead to your demise. Once you've given your position away and have forced your opponent(s) from their location, the best strategy is to move on.

That said, when you do find a good vantage point from which to observe the large maps, it's wise to deploy defensive measures such as land mines (above) or trip wires. On the occasion when your foe decides to hunt you down, they can prove invaluable.

A word of caution, though. Deploy them carefully as your supply is limited, if I recall, to one of each, as well as one or two hand grenades. At the start of a match, you can customize your loadout. However, choices in this regard are limited, as opposed to weapons choice, which is more varied.

Thankfully you have several sniper rifles to choose from, with each sacrificing one strength in favor of another, so weighing one's options is important. And if you choose to play with more than a sniper rifle, choices also involve the kind of assault rifle and sidearm you wield.

A carryover from the campaign seems to be flawed targeting and hit detection when using any weapon besides your sniper rifle. On at least a few occasions I quickly ran out of ammo for my assault rifle when in a firefight with Jeremy, and we seem to absorb more than a little punishment.

The above scorecard is less a reflection of our aptitude than my initial camping and preoccupation with taking screenshots. Though we figure Jeremy must have run right past my position beside the stone wall next to the church, as he circled the map in search of me. In his defense, I am a wallflower, so ...

The above map not only presented quite a challenge in the campaign but also in Deathmatch as it is wide and line of sight is obstructed by many structures including buildings and equipment. The cover of darkness also adds a welcome challenge.

Despite having the drop on Jeremy (above), I misjudged the distance and bullet drop, allowing him to escape. An interesting sidenote, from my vantage point most of my shots appeared to miss, sending up puffs of dirt; but Jeremy insisted I hit him a few times.

Jeremy took advantage of my miscalculation to score I think the longest kill of our gaming session. In a nice touch, the person who scores a kill often gets a killcam, however brief, showing the hit. It's an abbreviated variation on the slo-mo bullet cam from the campaign, but a nice element.

I found myself too often on the business end of Jeremy's sniper rifle in this match (above), but he took advantage of the copious cover to move often and quickly. Indeed, I spotted him on several occasions but he usually was on the run from cover to cover.

Another element besides the killcam that makes a welcome reappearance from the campaign is the arcade type scoring, in particular as it relates to longest shots. The scorecard is nowhere near as deep in terms of stats tracking, but at least matches recognize this one stat, which of course is integral to a sniping game.

Besides distance, the match will note -- in game -- such stats as longest shot, scoring leader, etc. It's a nice element for those who keep score, in particular for bragging rights, and contributes to the competitive nature of online matches, particularly when such scoring factors more heavily in the outcome.

This is true of game modes Distance King and Team Distance King (which join Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch to round out the game's suite of multiplayer options). Distance King scores matches based on cumulative distance of kill shots, and as such is a nice tweak to DM/TDM.

If there's any shortcoming of Sniper Elite V2's multiplayer offering, it's that the game modes are not as varied or deep as the modes offered by its competitors. However, as free DLC it's a high quality addition, and as suggested can be considered a welcome and needed supplement to the genre's standard online fare.

(Above) Now you see him, now you don't. Here today, gone tomorrow. Easy come, easy go. Heeheehee. Sorry, Jeremy, I couldn't resist. Consider us even.

(Above) Hey, I said we were even! In a surreal scene, I respawned in the same room as I was killed, and was forced to see my own corpse. Does this qualify as an out of body experience? Speaking of respawning, it appears implemented in an arbitrary fashion.

On the previous map, I respawned in the same area, which didn't help me avoid Jeremy's keen eye. But usually one seems to respawn in the same general vicinity but far enough to avoid spawn camping. And once or twice, I think I respawned in the same building as Jeremy.

There are few moments that will quicken your pulse as much as surveying the battlefield only to find your opponent has you in their sights! This happened on several occasions and resulted in the most funny, panicked scenarios of who could pull the trigger first -- and accurately!

That said, in a similar moment as this I was able to kill Jeremy though he was incredulous, complaining that he couldn't even see me behind cover in order to get a clean shot off. This isn't rare for online shooters but of course can be frustrating in a game as precise as Sniper Elite, though in our session I think it happened once.

Our matches were fairly evenly matched and typically resulted in three kills for either or both in the span of 15 minutes. This might indeed be a pace too slow for many fans of the genre, however, I'd argue that there is no less tension, suspense or excitement from a well played game of cat and mouse.

The maps provide so much cover in the form of collapsed buildings or intact structures and are so spread out that mobility is not only necessary to cover ground and find your adversary but is well balanced so as not to be frustrating or too easy in relation to the sniping mechanic.

The variety of cover and myriad elevations make for dynamic maps that require careful exploration whether on foot or stationary. The gameplay is simple enough to jump into but requires careful strategy when deciding whether and where to camp or to move. Jeremy and I did both in equal measure, making for some fun matches.

Besides map design, production values are top quality. Attention to detail in the campaign really helped immerse gamers in the setting, and competitive multiplayer is no exception. Landscape and interior details are excellent, with complex textures and great draw distance. Plus animation is well implemented, which is integral to effective sniping.

The animation was in full effect when Jeremy ran away from this encounter (see his back to the right of the crosshairs, above). In truth he wasn't aware of my position, and in true form was wisely keeping on the move.

Unfortunately for Jeremy, his quick reflexes lost to mine in this particular encounter. However, Sniper Elite V2's competitive multiplayer is well balanced in general. Our gaming session was fairly even as Jeremy and I split our matches whether in DM or Distance King.

I have not played TDM or TDK, but even to judge only by DM and DK, Rebellion has crafted a thoroughly rewarding competitive multiplayer component. My only regret is that I didn't know this free DLC was available from Day One but Jeremy and I are catching up.

It should be noted that more than playing Jeremy and I use our online sessions to catch up and shoot the breeze in general. So server stability and mic support is very important, and in that regard SEV2 does not disappoint! Despite inconsistent mics in the lobby, matches offer clear communication and zero lag.

For anyone who wants an entertaining and quality alternative to the standard run and gun arcade action of most FPS multiplayer game modes, Sniper Elite V2 will let you scratch an itch you might not have known you had. It's hands down a rewarding option for fans of the genre.